


The Restoration of Honour

by WaterHorseyBlues



Category: Mo Dao Zu Shi, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī (Cartoon)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Canon Compliant, Closeted Character, Feels, Flashbacks, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Major Original Character(s), Post-Canon, References to Incest, Secret Past, Secret Relationship, Spoilers, Theory Fic, author is mo xuanyu stan #1, but only as much as was in the source material, follows the novel with some sprinkling of the live action, hes just a tool for my theory please dont discredit this fool boy i've brought to you, pot-luck of different adaptations, the original character is actually an unnamed background character from the novel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:40:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 40,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26580799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaterHorseyBlues/pseuds/WaterHorseyBlues
Summary: Five years following the return of the Yiling Patriarch, the world is settling down. But one promising cultivator from the Mo clan is determined to wipe the tarnished reputation of his clan by destroying the remains of the Tiger Seal and erase the increasing resentful energy surrounding the tomb that holds Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao. But before that, he has to clear Mo Xuanyu's name from his perverse allegations and undo his family's shame.Snooping around isn't going to be easy, and he ends up employing the help of Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi, along with some of their old friends. However, some of the older cultivators who have reasons for burying the past aren't about to give up everything so easily.
Relationships: Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén/Mèng Yáo | Jīn Guāngyáo, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Mò Xuányǔ/Niè Huáisāng, Ōuyáng Zizhēn/Original Male Character
Comments: 31
Kudos: 46





	1. Caught!: Secrets in Cloud Recess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Suddenly, he heard a young man’s voice, “Then is the Tiger Seal really inside the coffin?”
> 
> A cloud of silence fell over the wine shop. A moment later, someone answered, “Who knows? Perhaps. What could Jin GuangYao have done with the Tiger Seal except for carrying it on him?”
> 
> “But there’s no way of telling. Didn’t they say the Seal’s become just a piece of scrap iron? There’s no use for it anymore.”
> 
> The boy sat alone at a table, holding a sword in his arms, “Is the coffin really firm enough? What would happen if someone wants to see if the Tiger Seal is inside or not?”
> 
> Immediately, someone raised his voice, “Who’d dare?”
> 
> “The QingheNie Sect, the GusuLan Sect, and the YunmengJiang Sect all sent people to guard the cemetery. Who in the world would have the guts to do it?”
> 
> Everyone expressed their agreement. The boy didn’t speak up again. He took the teacup from his table and sipped, as though he gave up on his idea. Yet, his eyes hadn’t changed at all.
> 
> Wei WuXian had seen those types of eyes on many faces. And he knew that this definitely wouldn’t be the last time he saw them."
> 
> -Chapter 113

Unless they had been told, no one would ever have known that the beautiful, elegant Cloud Recess had once burned down. It had been over twenty years since the Wen clan had laid waste to the GusuLan Sect's home and every day of that had been used to restore it lovingly and faithfully. Though there were two most notable differences: the absence of the pride of GusuLan, the Twin Jades.

Hanguan-Jun had left his life with the sect to travel with his Cultivation Partner, the reborn Yiling Patriarch Wei Wuxian. Zewu-Jun had remained at Cloud Recess, though had spent a few years in secluded meditation following the events of the Guanyin Temple. Recently, however, the older jade had returned to his duties as the GusuLan Sect's leader, albeit with less focus and motivation than he'd had in his youth.

The older jade's reputation for friendliness, composure and skills preceded him, however, so it took some time for word to get out that he was struggling in any way to manage his position. It was fortunate, many whispered, that there had not been any sort of battle since shameful attempt when the many clans had gathered to take their revenge on the reborn Yiling Patriarch. The humiliation had been enough to put off many against trying such a thing again.

Some were sympathetic to the leader's struggle, others scornful. It was all agreed, however, that it was best to leave him to sort his own confused heart out without intervention. Many secrets surrounded his history with the infamous Jin Guangyao, all of which were hidden away from the prying eyes of the public.

That did not stop one young man from trying. Wild hair fiercely pinned back from his face in a bun that threatened to come loose, grey clothes embroidered with his family crest, he'd sneaked his way to the currently empty Hanshi and tried to slip in through the window.

Then he'd been caught.

The two Lan cultivators who'd caught him were stricken with shock before one snapped out of it and yanked the infiltrator from the windowsill and down onto the ground. Thankfully the grass was soft, but he still hit it face-first with a thud.

“What do you think you're doing, sneaking into the Hanshi like that?” the Lan cultivator asked, brows pinching furiously.

“Jingyi, you can't just do that!” The other spoke up frantically, hurrying over to their sides.

“If he gets hurt he deserves it.”

“Fighting is forbidden, you know this!”

“This isn't fighting, it's capturing an intruder!”

The intruder spat.

“Ah!” Jingyi stepped back. “You see, Sizhui? He has no dignity.”

Sizhui ignored his friend and crouched down. “Excuse me, why were you trying to break into the Hanshi?”

The intruder rolled over to eye him warily. His gaze moved to Jingyi, who's arms were crossed and

lips pressed in a stern line. He'd rather take the questioning than whatever punishment an angry Lan cultivator could think up. “Isn't it obvious? I'm going to look through Sect Leader Lan's things!

Sizhui, who had just been thinking that there was something familiar about his face, froze up with the blatant, casual confession. “Eh?”

“You see! We should take him to be punished!”

“B-but why would you want to do that?” Sizhui seemed to be struggling with this.

The captive young man huffed and sat up, jerking a thumb to his embroidered clothing. “Why else? I'm here to restore my family's reputation!”

There was a pause where the two Lan's stared at the Mo Clan insignia, then Jingyi exploded, “How is sneaking into our Leader's property going to do that? How could you, when he's already been through enough?” He leaned towards Sizhui, voice a little low. “Do you think he's mad like Mo Xuanyu was? They were all pretty strange when we visited, it might be a family sickness.”

“Jingyi!” Sizhui scolded.

“You see, even you gentlemen of the Lan clan think so badly of us.” The now identified Mo Clan cultivator huffed. “So this is why I have to do this.”

“I still don't understand...” Sizhui replied, now realising why his face looked familiar, “wouldn't such a thing do much more damage.”

“No! Wasn't it Hanguang-Jun who cleared the Yiling Patriarch’s name by any means? Well I'm clearing Xuanyu's name, and then my entire family's name. I won't want you big clans looking down on us. And I'm doing that by starting here!” He slapped the wall of the Hanshi.

Jingyi looked like he was about to strangle him.

“What could our Leader possibly have that you need?” Sizhui was still baffled.

“Jeez, think about it.” The Mo cultivator tapped his temple. Unlike the Lan clan who were all raised as gentry, he had been raised in a small broken clan who's leaders cared only for their selfish son and locked away their most promising cultivator after he brought shame to the family until he became a mad man that the entire clan despised. When it was found out that the Yiling Patriarch had been reborn into their clan on a night where the clan leaders in a horrible ghost attack, the rest were left to fight for the open power vacuum while pointing fingers at anyone who may have shown the slightest interest in Demonic Cultivation or the antics of the reborn Patriarch. Though his father had managed to secure the position of Leader, there had been no time to instil in him any sort of grace or social elegance. He was, however, filled to the brim with unstoppable determination and enough brains to formulate his plan.

“Could it be,” Sizhui asked, slowly cottoning on, “his relationship to Jin Guangyao?”

“Exactly.” The Young Master clapped his hands together once.

Sizhui seemed pleased with himself.

“How is any business with him going to clear your name? Doesn't he make it much worse?” Jingyi had forgotten his desire for punishment and was now invested in the story.

“Don't you know? Jin Guangyao accused Xuanyu of harassing him. But why would he, when they were half brothers? He went mad when he came home, not while he was learning cultivation.”

“He was... You know,” Jingyi mumbled.

“Being a cut-sleeve doesn't make him completely perverse!” Young Master Mo snapped. “And who was Jin Guangyao to criticize, when he himself married his own sister!”

“Please, don't fight,” Sizhui said gently.

Jingyi tutted, relenting a little. “Didn't Senior Wei find out that Xuanyu was close to Jin Guangyao to begin with, and that's how he found out what he was up to? I did think it was weird that he would accuse his own friend, but then he killed many who were close to him once.”

Young Master Mo perked up. “Is that true?”

“Ah, I suppose it was never really spread as public information,” Sizhui observed, “it makes sense that no one outside of those involved would know. It seems that Mo Xuanyu was involved with some of the earlier stages of uncovering Jin Guangyao's secrets.”

“Then that's more reason for me to find out everything!” Young Master Mo pushed himself up and dusted the earth off his legs. Before he could grab the windowsill once more, Jingyi had pushed himself in between.

“You absolutely cannot go in there without Sect Leader Lan's permission!”

“You better move or I'll-”

“Don't fight!” Sizhui grabbed Young Master Mo's raised arm. “We can settle this peacefully.”

“Yes, by letting me through. He's keeping secrets about the man who caused my cousin's death, I can't just stand by and let this opportunity go!”

Jingyi seemed torn. “Either way, it's not right.”

“Neither is keeping these things hidden and letting my clan fall to ruin!”

“Young Master Mo, please settle down, we can work something out.”

Mollified somewhat by Sizhui's reassuring tone, the Young Master did lower his arm and take a step back. Jingyi relaxed.

“How about we arrange for you to meet with Sect Leader? He might be able to answer your questions. Wouldn't that be much better for your clan reputation than something so risky?”

He thought about it, stern face not letting anything show. “Fine. But you talked me into it, so you have to have my back! I don't want you all looking down on me while I try to fix what others broke.”

“I think the madness of Mo Xuanyu was your clans own doing...”

“Jingyi!”

“Isn't it true? I think the only one who was ever nice to him was you.”

Sizhui didn't comment on this. He knew that he hadn't encountered the real Xuanyu at all that day. He instead turned to Young Master Mo. “Of course we'll have your back, Young Master Mo. Though we've just met, we care just as much about the truth being revealed. Right, Jingyi?”

The other crossed his arms. “Of course. I'm not a dishonest person.”

“He can give a bad impression, but I promise we're both good people,” Sizhui explained, “As you may have worked out, I'm Lan Sizhui, and this is my friend Lan Jingyi. We're sorry if you got hurt, but you were doing something quite unnecessary.”

“You're lucky it was us who found you and not someone else.”

“He is right,” Sizhui admitted. “What is your name, by the way?”

The Young Master felt relief that he wouldn't have to face the Sect Leader alone, the sincerity of the two other young men reassuring him. Though he couldn't guarantee they'd actually help if things got tough. “My name is Mo-”

“What is going on here?”

The three had been so distracted by their own encounter, they'd been completely unaware of the silent approach of another. They all turned and felt their hearts go their throats.

“Sect Leader!” Sizhui and Jingyi cried in unison, then hastily bowed.

Young Master Mo only joined a second later, too startled to do it right.

“What is going on here?” The once gentle, friendly face of Lan Xichen was now worn and lined. A hair had come loose and hung from the side of his face. “Who is this?”

“Ah, this is-” Sizhui began.

“I've come to demand an audience with you!” Young Master Mo announced, using his anxious energy to push himself forwards.

The Sect Leader was taken aback by the young man's tone. He looked him up and down, noting the Mo Clan embroidery. The young man was no cultivator he'd met before, and with im being somewhat short it was hard to tell his age, though he must be close to Sizhui and Jingyi's age. With a different expression and posture, he'd look strikingly similar to Xuanyu. “What is it you wish to speak to me about?” He asked.

Young Master Mo trembled, unused to speaking to anyone so important, but pressed on. “I need you to tell me everything you know about the secrets of Jin Guangyao!”

That wasn't what he'd meant to say, but it was what came out. He'd never been great with words.

Thick ice on a lake separated frozen pond reeds. Xichen stood, looking down at the young Mo cultivator. Sizhui and Jingyi stood back from them, mouths agape, stunned.

The ice cracked, though the water remained cold. “Escort this man out of Cloud Recess,” Xichen ordered.

“Sect Leader, he didn't mean to be-”

“It is my understanding he had broken a number of our rules. Escort him out before he breaks any more and ensure he does not come back.”

“But-” Young Master Mo watched his one chance shatter before him.

“Now.”

The three looked at each other, then Sizhui and Jingyi reluctantly approached and took the Young Master by his arms, and began to walk him away. He looked back, seeing the dark expression on the Sect Leader's face before they turned out of view. There was no way he'd be able to try this again. He'd lost his chance. He deflated in their arms, becoming nothing more than a paper toy being carried along by two children.

“Young Master Mo, don't be so disheartened,” Sizhui said with a gentle smile, “I'm sure this isn't the end.”

“Yeah, if you could break into Cloud Recess and get all the way to the Hanshi by yourself, you must have some way to continue your search,” Jingyi added.

“I already looked all through your Chamber of Ancients and couldn't find a thing.”

“What?” Both of the Lans were shocked.

“You shouldn't do such a thing!” Sizhui cried, though he was more in awe.

“You really are something.” Jingyi shook his head, amazed despite himself.

“I didn't break anything, so it's fine.”

“Come to think of it, how did you get in? You can't get into Cloud Recess without an entry token,” Jingyi asked.

“Oh, I stole one off some unobservant cultivators I saw on the way here. I thought I'd have to fight someone to get in, which would be a real problem since I'm definitely not as strong as a cultivator of the Lan sect, but this one guy was just sitting letting his hang free for anyone to grab. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's sneaking.” He reached into his pocket and took out the token, the attaching thread of which had been snipped.

Jingyi and Sizhui stared, then Sizhui snorted a laugh.

“Didn't you lose yours today?” Sizhui asked.

“I did! To think- to think it wasn't my fault at all, but you stole it!”

“Well... You didn't notice me.”

“You just bragged about being sneaky!”

Again, though the two boys were shocked by the Young Master's behaviour, they were in awe of his skill.

“Give it back,” Jingyi requested, holding a hand out.

“Fine. I guess I don't need it anyway. There's no way I can survive sneaking back in.” He handed it over.

“Well, if you do come back, we'll be the ones to let you in,” Sizhui added.

“Hm?”

“You haven't done what you need to do, right? So you'll still need help,” Jingyi explained as he tucked his token safely away into his sleeve.

Young Master Mo was taken aback. “You two have your own duties.”

“Isn't the duty of a cultivator to fight evil? Well, if the evil is an unfair perception of a clan, isn't that something to fight?”

He couldn't help but feel that Sizhui's words were very cheesy. “Um. Thanks. But I don't know if you'll actually be any help, no offence... It's pretty noticeable if I'm sneaking around with two members of a prominent clan.”

“Why would you need to sneak? Where else would you need to go to, we can just get you there.”

Hearing Jingyi's words, Young Master Mo suddenly realised the benefits that prominent clan members had that he had never known. “Well... I guess I would need to investigate the Jin clan. But that would be really difficult. After all, they're the most likely to be secretive about this.”

Sizhui brightened. “This will be no problem. We'll take you to Koi Tower and distract Jin Ling while you look around.”

“W-what?” Young Master Mo's eyes widened and brows raised. The way Sizhui casually used the Sect Leader's name threw him off. “How? Are you going to arrange some important clan meeting?”

“No, we'll just call in and talk to him for a while. We can pretend we're asking if he'd like to join us on a night hunt.”

“You two... Know him well?”

“Yes, we're friends.”

The Young Master contained his shock. He'd accidentally picked up two very esteemed Lan cultivators, it seemed. He'd have to tread a lot more carefully. “Oh. I see. Well. Let's do that then...”


	2. Caught!: Danger in Koi Tower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't be bothered to type out "Young Master Mo" every time so from now on he's just Mo.

It wasn't that Mo was bad at flying his sword – he'd flown it all the way to Gusu, after all – it was more than being the cultivator of a small clan meant that he usually didn't need to travel distances often, and when he did he took it at his own pace. The Twin Pearls of Lan, as he had started mentally referring to them as, flew confidently at a good speed, their long smooth hair flying out like dark waves behind them. His own hair became wilder and more tangled as it blustered about. The speed was more than he was used to, and his knees wobbled as he fought to stay securely on the blade.

They landed in Lanling City, Koi Tower just in front of them. The Twin Pearls neatly dismounting while Mo fell from his own. A few passers-by looked at them with fascinated expressions, then continued on their way.

“Are you okay?” Sizhui asked, hurrying to his side.

“You fell hard, are you sure you really broke into Cloud Recess alone?” Jingyi asked suspiciously, pulling him to his feet.

“I'm fine!” Mo dusted his clothes down and reminded himself that two long journeys in one day was physically taxing.

“You look a bit unwell, should we take a break?”

Mo looked between Sizhui's brows, furrowed with worry, and Jingyi's brows, raised with disbelief. “No way. Taking unnecessary rests means you'll fall behind others.” He could hear his father's voice in his own, but it didn't matter. He agreed with the sentiment.

Sizhui and Jingyi glanced at each other, bewildered by this attitude. Mo ignored them and pulled his hair from its bun and retied it, securing the unruly loose strands back out of his face. He had bigger things to deal with than a bit of travel sickness.

The three headed into the tower grounds, ascending the endlessly large stairs. Mo expected at any moment for one of the guards to confront them, but whenever the two Lan cultivators were spotted, guards and servants alike bowed politely end gestured them onwards. Mo tried to look confident as he followed behind them, despite the curious looks thrown his way. Some eyes fell onto his family crest, and nervous expressions followed. He bristled irritably.

“Stay calm,” Sizhui whispered, sensing his companion's anger, “we will handle this.”

“But you have to be pretty sure you know what you're looking for, too,” Jingyi added, “this will be our only chance so you really can't mess it up.”

“And what if it gets messed up?” Mo asked, diverting the blame off himself.

“We will do our best but we can't guarantee your safety. Not everyone in the Jin Clan is our ally,” Sizhui answered, soft eyes now serious.

Mo swallowed hard and grounded himself. He'd been bought his best chance, he really couldn't slip up now.

They arrived in the large entry hall. The Twin Pearls stood comfortably among the lavish decorations like statues who belonged among the art. Mo thought he might have sweated too much into his clothes. It was all a painful reminder of the divide between powerful clans and smaller ones.

Two servants approached, their clothing far more lavish than those from back home. One spoke up, smiling politely at the two Lan cultivators and mostly ignoring Mo. “Welcome back Masters.” She bowed deeply.

“Could you let Jin Ling know we're here?” Jingyi asked.

Sizhui elbowed him.

“What- Oh, right. Excuse me. Could you let Sect leader Jin know we're here?” He corrected.

“Of course. Please wait here.” She politely backed out of the room and went to find the Clan leader.

Seeing the two so casually ask for the very leader of the clan and using his birth name so naturally, Mo was starting to feel that he was no more than an ornamental chair in the waiting room. No, less, he was the dust beneath.

“Excuse me,” Sizhui spoke up again to the remaining servant, “could you bring us some water? We've all come quite a long way, and our companion is unwell.”

Mo's face flushed in humiliation and he shot Sizhui a furious look, which was ignored.

The servant bowed and left. The three were alone once more.

“What was that for?” Mo hissed.

“The coast is clear, you should be able to sneak off now,” Sizhui explained.

“Everyone knows about the treasure vault in Fragrant Palace, so it's unlikely anything of Guangyao's will be hidden there. However, it's possible there's something in Blooming Garden.”

Mo did not know about this treasure vault but nodded as though he did.

“We'll keep Jin Ling distracted for as long as possible, but still you must be quick!” Sizhui urged.

He nodded. “No one will know I was ever here.”

“Don't get caught as easily as we caught you,” Jingyi added, “or we're all in trouble!”

“Jingyi!”

Mo huffed and chose not to fight back, turned on spot and hurried away.

The massive palace had him winding through long hallways, poking his head into rooms and ducking behind large pots and statues to hide from servants. Like dust, he thought, no one would see him unless they looked close. Without turning a head, he made his way through each part of the building, always looking back to make sure he knew how to return to the Twin Pearls.

Though, he had no clue where he was going. He'd never been to Lanling, let alone Koi Tower. He didn't know anyone who had. He certainly couldn't just ask for help.

He crouched behind a large potted plant, thankful for his small stature, as two older men walked past. They wore the shimmering gold garbs of Jin Clan nobles.

“That boy is no good,” one, shorter with a balding head, complained.

“Far too abrasive,” the other, tall with a pointed beard, agreed, “but what can you expect? His father was as arrogant and stubborn.”

“None of his elegance or patience,” the shorter countered. “Jin Zixuan grew out of his bad ways. Jin Ruolan, however, takes all his attitude from that foul Jiang Wanyin. Neither of them are a drop of their fathers.”

“A disgrace to the Jin Clan. My son would've been much better suited.”

“Your son is a layabout, _my_ son, however...”

The two men's voices faded away as they turned a corner and walked off. Mo waited for a few minutes, making sure no one else was about to come through. When he was sure all was clear, he darted out again and continued. If two nobles had come from this direction, he must be near somewhere.

His search found him, finally, at a locked door. He felt his heart jump. Locked doors were often a good sign when it came to hidden things. He pressed his eye to the crack in the door and found what seemed to be a study inside. There was a low table and some books, but most significantly the windows had been covered and in the dim light he could see a layer of dust on everything. He raised a hand and slid a thin hairpin off his head, letting a lock tumble down over his shoulder. He slid it into the lock and pressed his ear to the door, listening carefully as he began to pick it.

After some careful, delicate motions, he finally heard the click and withdrew the pin. He slid it back into his hair, not fussed about actually tidying his hair up, and stood. With one light touch, he tapped the door and it creaked open, letting light into the dark, dusty room.

“Hey!”

He turned at the shout and heard the _whoosh_ of the blade before he saw it, ducking back. His loose hair coiled up above him. He watched as silver sliced a chunk off, like a snake being decapitated. Loose hairs scattered across the floor as he staggered back into the empty room.

His foot caught something and he fell, once again, and landed hard on the ground. A cloud of dust rose into the air, blocking his vision. He couldn't see his attacker but then his attacker couldn't see him well either.

He scrabbled back, pushing himself further into shadow, and raised as much dust as he could, holding his breath. A man coughed as the dust filled the air, and he dodged as far away as he could into a corner. In the doorway, he could see the man's silhouette, a shimmer of gold and the silver of a blade. He wouldn't be able to get out with the door blocked, but he might be able to trick him and sneak past.

Reaching back, he felt a large shelf behind him and grabbed something. It was no more than a box where calligraphy brushes were kept, but it would do. He threw the box across the room, and it hit the ground on the other side with a crash, bursting open and sending brushes flying. The man rushed in, sword raised to attack, but found only empty air. Mo kept low and shuffled his way to the door.

His nose bumped into the black, wet snout of a dog. It blocked the doorway, lips pulled back to bare its snarling fangs, hackles raised.

Mo backed up silently as he could, but it was no use. The dog began barking madly.

“Fairy!” The man cried, “get him!”

Mo wondered what sort of person named their beast “Fairy”, but had no time to speculate on it. The dog pounced at him, maw open. He hated fighting animals, but had no choice, and kicked out at its chest. The dog was sent flying across the room with a whimper.

“Hah!” He shouted, forgetting his plan of a quiet escape.

“Fairy!”

Having been so focused on fighting the dog, he hadn't spotted the man coming through the dust cloud at him. The close voice caught his attention and he unsheathed his blade quickly to parry the attack. The other was clearly far more skilled and stronger than he, attacking rapidly and with such force that all Mo could do was defend himself.

Desperate and clearly on the losing side, he dodged the next attack and let the other man fall past him, taking the opportunity to twist around and with a burst of speed throw himself to the door once more. The dog, back on its feet, snapped at his shins as he ran past.

“You won't escape!”

Mo turned in the hallway and raised his sword, teeth gritted. The other man flew at him and slashed down, blade hitting his own with such force that it ripped the handle from his grasp. Mo helplessly watched his sword skid across the shining tile, the polish aiding its journey to the end of the hallway.

A dogs face blocked his view, snarling and spitting. He gasped and turned, seeing the golden clad man raising his sword once more. With no other hope he grasped the sheath of his sword, figuring that if he was going to go down, he'd go down fighting.

“Wait!”

Both of them whipped their heads aside to see the Twin Pearls running at them, faces pale and cheeks flushed from panic. Sizhui was in the lead, hand thrown out.

Seeing he had a distraction, Mo kicked out at the man's shins, taking his feet out from under him. To his luck, the man fell on his own dog, and Mo was able to scramble up and away from harm. He grasped the sword sheath like a weapon, raising it to fight. The man's face went red with fury, mouth pursed, and he jumped up to his feet once more.

“No! Don't fight!”

Sizhui grabbed the man from under his arms, stopping him from doing any more, while Jingyi wrapped his arms around Mo's chest, pinning his arms to his side, and physically lifted him from the ground.

“Put me down!” He shouted, kicking the air, “I'm not done with this guy!”

“You let me go right now!” The other man shouted at Sizhui. “I have to kill this little thief!”

“Little!?”

“Hardly a runt!”

Mo howled and kicked more furiously like it might make his legs grow several feet longer and hit the other.

“Calm down, both of you, please!” Sizhui pleaded. “Jin Ling, this is a friend of ours, he means no harm!”

“No harm? He was breaking and entering!” Jin Ling wrenched himself from Sizhui's grip and straightened his clothes out. His hair was slightly messy from the fight and there was a little bit of dust on his hems. Most noticeably, the elegant golden ornament on his hair caught the light, dramatically identifying him as the Jin Sect Leader.

Mo's legs froze, knees still raised. He'd been fighting the leader of the entire Jin Clan! He was lucky a whole fleet of guards hadn't been called to take his head off!

“We can explain everything, please don't hurt him,” Sizhui continued, bowing deeply in apology.

“You better have a good reason for bringing such a dirty rat into here,” Jin Ling spat.

Mo's temper flared up again and he kicked. “Who's the dirty rat? Don't you look down on me!”

“Young Master Mo,” Jingyi complained, struggling, “stop!”

“You're the dirty rat, have you seen yourself?” Jin Ling's temper was no better.

“Stop it you, two, stop!” Sizhui cried, gripping Jin Ling's arm. “Please, let's just sit and talk.”

“If you can promise he won't cause any more damage.” Jin Ling ripped his arm free and pointed at Mo.

“If you can promise that creature isn't going to bite me!” He pointed at the dog.

Jingyi and Sizhui looked imploringly at the Sect Leader.

“Fine. He won't. Fairy, come here.” The dog obediently trotted to his master and sat at his heel. “This better be good.”

“It is, I promise.”

They gathered around a table as servants brought food and drinks. Jin Ling and Mo had matching angry expressions. Sizhui looked apologetic, Jingyi only painted as he rubbed his strained arm. While the Sect Leader had been able to clean up easily with a few pats of servants cloths, the Twin Pearls had stood by and watched their unfortunate new companion be dusted down and have his hair forcibly pinned back into place so that he was at least somewhat presentable to be in the quarters of the Sect Leader. It had been humiliating.

“I am sorry things didn't go to plan, neither of us expected that he'd come from that way,” Sizhui apologised.

“Why are you apologising to him? You planned to break into my home! You aided a criminal!” Jin Ling snapped at him.

“We're sorry you found out,” Jingyi said.

“Why you-”

“Don't!” Sizhui put his hands out between the boys. “Jingyi, please.”

“Okay, we're sorry we had to do this behind your back. But it was our only option. You wouldn't have agreed to help us if we'd asked.”

“Who says I wouldn't have?” Jin Ling asked indignantly. “I've helped you with plenty of things before!”

“Really?” Jingyi raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You'd help us expose dark secrets of your sects former leader and uncle, who already destroyed much of your clans reputation, and use that to restore the reputation of a clan who's former member harassed said former leader and uncle?”

Jin Ling's eyebrow twitched. “Well, not when you put it that way.”

“This is why we had to do it behind your back,” Sizhui explained. “We're sorry. It wasn't a personal thing. We would just like to help our new friend. You wouldn't have even known anything was different.”

“He might have,” Jingyi pointed out. “Young Master Mo isn't as tender-handed as he says he is.”

“Hey!” Mo scowled. “I was doing a perfectly good job of sneaking in and out until this whining bitch showed up.” He looked pointedly at Jin Ling. “And his dog.”

“How dare you!” Jin Ling jumped to his feet. “I'll cut that foul tongue of yours right out!”

“Young Master Mo, you can't say things like that!”

“I'm not holding you back again, he can have you...”

“Come and have at me, then!” Mo was already back on his feet, gripping his sword hilt.

“You two!”

A short struggle later, and everyone was sat back down once more.

“There really is no need to fight,” Sizhui insisted, “Jingyi isn't good with words so he's explained it badly, but our friend here is trying to do a noble thing.... By not very noble means, I admit.”

“What's so noble about trying to defend a cut-sleeve pervert?” Jin Ling asked.

“You don't mean that. You yourself admitted to me that you don't have any issues with men being with men like that, not since you met Senior Wei.”

Jin Ling scowled, face pink.

“He also thinks that the harassment was another lie by Guangyao,” Jingyi added.

Jin Ling looked at his still unkempt reluctant guest.

“I don't have evidence,” Mo said stiffly, “yet. But I don't believe he would knowingly harass his own brother like that. And Jin Guangyao told many lies, it's not impossible it's also a lie as well.”

“But why lie?” Jin Ling frowned, thinking about it.

“It lessened the chance of succession rivalry and got Mo Xuanyu out of the way,” Jingyi explained.

“So why not kill him? He killed plenty of others.” The hidden question sat between his words: why kill my father and not him?

“He didn't kill Sisi, though it was eventually his undoing,” Sizhui explained carefully, “perhaps he had a reason. Maybe sending him mad was... A mercy?”  
Jin Ling and Mo both scowled.

“I could be wrong,” he added quickly, sensing the tense atmosphere, “but it's a possibility.”

“So what do you expect me to do about this?” The Jin Sect Leader was obviously invested in the story, but it seemed like a lot for very little.

“Well, with your permission, we'd like to look through any diaries or records Jin Guangyao kept. There might be information or proof of his lies.”

Jin Ling sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. “But what do you think all this will do? Clear the name of one measly cultivator who died five years ago?”

Mo bit his lip, stopping himself from saying something harsh, then huffed his irritation out. “No. This is only one step. I'm going to be the one who raises my clan up out of the ashes.”

Jin Ling looked at the Twin Pearls, then back to Mo. “How do you plan to do that?”

“The Tiger Seal,” Mo breathed, speaking more to himself than anyone else. “It's trapped in the cask with Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao. I know it is. The whole area is dead with resentful energy. I'm going to destroy the Tiger Seal, and bring honour to my clan.”

Silence fell between them.

Jin Ling puffed his chest out. “Well, obviously you can't do that alone. So, I will grant you permission as well as my personal help going through any documents, journals or records we may have. In exchange, I will come on this journey with you.”

“What?” Jingyi blinked. “But you're often too busy these days even to night hunt with us.”

Jin Ling pouted childishly. “That is precisely why I'll come along! I'm stuck in here managing dull affairs all day, I'm sick of it! It's time I went out and did something. If I help you destroy the Tiger Seal, that will really show all those old fools in the clan that I have every right to be in charge!”

Mo recalled the two older men in the hallway. He knew there were power tensions in the Jin clan, but it hadn't occurred to him what it must be like for the leader, who was hardly any older than himself. “Fine.” He nodded. “It's a deal. Your resources in exchange to get in on my glory.”

“Don't get yourself so high and mighty,” Jin Ling warned.

They shook on it.

“You know,” Sizhui observed, “you two are a lot like each other.”

“No, we are not!”


	3. Assemble: Puzzle Pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh oh i accidentally dropped some foreshadowing in this chapter please be a dear and pick it up would you

Jin Ling coughed and fanned the air as he cracked open the dusty journal and the pages fanned out. He'd had to send in servants to clean the untouched room as much as they could and retrieve any writings left inside. Overseeing the process hadn't been easy. Clothes, ornaments and artwork had been removed, things he remembered his uncle being gifted or personally choosing for his own enjoyment. The memories lay thicker than the dust.

The books had been a bit of a shock. He'd expected some form Guangyao's reign as sect leader: documents, records of meetings, plans, et cetera. The diaries and memoirs, piled up in great chests, had floored him a bit. There wasn't the amount that a dedicated diarist might own, but more than someone who kept secrets so close to his heart should.

The books had all been carted to the study where the four boys gathered around a table to peer into their tiny, neat words. Tough the Twin Pearls were a little rowdier than the usual gentlefolk of the Lan clan, they still carefully wiped the books clean, then washed their own hands before proceeding. Jin Ling peeled the pages apart like he was handling a wounded animal that might bite him at any moment. Mo, desensitised to dirt and filth from his adventures already, just blew the dust off each page before reading it, creating more clouds in the air.

“This is all useless,” the sect leader complained after an hour of quiet page-turning. “Look at this. Each entry is just records of meetings and notes about that person. All this does is explain why his memory was so good.” He slammed the book shut, emitting another grey cloud.

“Keeping all these details is admirable in itself,” Sizhui admitted.

“But they're mundane at best.” Jingyi closed his own book carefully. “This is things anyone would know if you asked. There are no secrets, no unusual events. There are whole spaces where we know something must have happened, but he's not written it.”

Mo frowned, drumming his fingers on the table. “That's a good point.”

“Huh?”

“There are missing pages! Maybe he didn't avoid writing them...Maybe he removed them!”

Jin Ling sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. “So then what? He'll have burned them. They're nothing but ash now.”

“Not if he put them somewhere only he could find them,” Mo pointed out, “or hid them in some sort of code.”

“Then things only become more complicated.” Jingyi sunk down face-first onto the table. Sizhui gave him a reassuring pat.

“It's a lot to get through. Maybe we should call in some help?”

“From who?” Jin Ling asked, scowling. “Who else can we trust with this? If we're to as any of the seniors, they'll no doubt take over – or worse, prevent us from doing any more! Especially if they hear about the Tiger Amulet. We can't just let anyone into this work.”

“No, no one like that,” Sizhui explained quickly, waving a hand. “Who else could I possibly mean?”

Jingyi looked up. “Oh? Do you think he'd join us?”

Jin Ling looked between the two Pearls, then his eyebrows raised in realisation. “Oh? It's been a while since I last saw him. Isn't he busy looking after his clan?”

“He joined us last month for a night hunt. He made it clear that he'll spare time for us if we really want it,” Sizhui explained.

Jingyi hummed in agreement. “It does seem weird, us being together without him.”

“Well, what are we waiting for? Someone should go fetch him!”

“Uh,” Mo leaned in, waving a hand and then pointing at himself, “I don't know who you're talking about.”

“Oh, right!” Sizhui smiled apologetically. “Sorry, somehow it's easy to forget you don't know the people we do.”

Mo huffed.

“We had a close friend with us when we studied as juniors. Since we've all grown older it's hard for everyone to keep in touch, but he helped us out a great deal in the past. It is a shame we don't all live much closer.” Jingyi let out a whimsical sigh. “I miss having all the fun and fewer responsibilities.”

“Well, we can relive that a little.” Sizhui turned to the other two. “How about one of us goes to fetch him and bring him back?”  
“Well I can't go,” Jin Ling began, “what sot of Sect Leader abandons his guests?”

“One who attacks them?”  
“You were not a guest you were an intruder!”

“Okay, okay,” Sizhui interrupted before another fight started. “How about one of us goes?”

“One?” Jingyi's eyes widened. “Why not both of us?”

“Because one of us must stay behind to ensure peace remains in Koi Tower.” He gestured to the two hot-headed cultivators.

“Hey!” Jin Ling glowered.

“So it's either go alone or become a mother to bickering children.”

“Oi!” Mo hit the table irritably.

“We'll play for it.” Sizhui held out a fist. “Loser stays.”

“Hey, hey, why are we the losers forfeit?”

Jingyi groaned and reluctantly held his own fist out. They counted down and threw out their hands. Jingyi showed scissors and Sizhui paper. He glumly cut between his friend's fingers.

“Why so sad, you won!”

“I didn't want to do either of these things.” He pushed himself to stand and brushed the specks of dirt off his meticulously clean white clothes.

“Don't be so negative. If you're quick you'll be back in a day. Half of that time will be in his company.”

“Half of it will be alone.”

“So make it a quick half!”

Jingyi nodded, giving in to it. “I'll be quick.” He left with the others bidding him goodbye.

“So who is this friend of yours?” Mo asked as they settled back down.

“A skilled cultivator, very trustworthy.”

“Skilled?” Jin Ling hummed and scrunched his nose. “I don't think he's exceptional.”

“Well, he's very dedicated.”

“Is he? More than us?”

“He stood up to his father, didn't he?” Sizhui frowned. “He was especially defensive of Senior Wei, even when so many of the seniors disapproved. Your uncle, Sect Leader Jiang was there. He showed a lot of courage and backbone then!”

Jin Ling pouted and didn't respond.

“I won't remind you of your own actions that day, but you really should have more respect for him as a person.”

Jin Ling's brow twitched and he stood.

“Huh? What's going on?” Mo asked, utterly lost.

“Evening is closing in. I wouldn't be much of a host if I didn't ensure there was a proper banquet.” The Sect Leader marched out of the room.

“Oh.”

A silence fell. Sizhui sighed heavily.

“Maybe you were too harsh on him. Especially considering he is the leader of the Jin clan...”

“You're right.” Sizhui nodded. His eyes were soft now and he seemed smaller than he had moments before. “It's easy to forget. We've all grown up very fast.”

“I guess you had to.”

Sizhui looked up at him and smiled. “Yes. But we all do. Even if it's hard. I guess being together like this, it makes me feel like we're all young again. It will probably feel more so with our friend joining.”

“Hmm.” Mo leaned back and eyed Sizhui. “I think you're talking like an old man when you're not even old. We're young. Enjoy it.”

Sizhui looked at him, then burst out into laughter.

“What?”

“Oh, it's nothing, really.” The Lan cultivator covered his mouth as he tried to compose himself. “Only, when you're like that, you really do look like Senior Wei.”

Mo's expression darkened.

“Ah. Sorry. It must be a difficult thing to handle.” Sizhui lowered his arm, sleeve folding neatly on his lap. “I meant no disrespect.”

“I know you didn't.” He furrowed his brow. “But I am my own person, my own name. I'm going to clean off Xuanyu's reputation and remove Wei Wuxian from my clan's history. I'll be someone who will change everything, and no one will think about who I am like, because it will only be me!”

Sizhui blinked, then had to cover his mouth to laugh again.

“Hey!”

“Sorry. Sorry. That was very sincere. You're right. You're your own person, and you'll make that name for yourself.” He smiled warmly. “Seeing someone with a strong dream who speaks so sincerely, it's nice. I hope you stay that way.”

He huffed. “Well. Of course. That's who I am.”

“Right.”

Jingyi returned late the next day when they had already eaten. Mo hadn't experienced such luxurious treatment ever before and had to control himself not to eat all his food in one go. Despite he and Jin Ling's differences, he and Sizhui had been set up in comfortable guest rooms and given clean clothes and washing supplies. Sizhui always remained impeccable so it was hard to notice any of this impacting him, but Mo cleaned up so much that when he joined the other two the next day they almost didn't recognise him at first. It didn't hold up for long, though, and by the time the other two arrived his neatly smoothed hair had begun to flick out into waves off the back of his head and break free from the bun he'd pinned it into.

“Sorry for arriving late,” Jingyi apologised.

“It's my fault. I was so excited to see an old friend that I absolutely had to treat him to a meal,” explained their new companion, who followed up his explanation with a quick bow.

“Don't worry, really,” Sizhui replied.

“I assume you haven't eaten. I've sent for a servant to bring you food.”

“Thank you Sect Leader Jin.” The new arrival bowed again.

Jin Ling clicked his tongue. “Honestly it's strange for you to be so formal.”

“Ah, I can't help it. It's been so long. And why shouldn't I show you formalities? I've heard you've been working really hard to restore the honour of the Jin clan.”

“Where doesn't the gossip spread to?”

“As far as news can spread. Besides, I like to keep an ear out for the Lady Jin's antics.”

Jin Ling's face went red “How dare you-”

“Relax, relax, I'm joking!” The young man raised his hands defensively. “Speaking of news spreading, though, it's a pleasure to meet you finally.”

Mo raised his eyebrows when he was addressed. He held his hands out and bowed politely, taking the opportunity to look the new arrival up and down. He was a slender man with a delicate face and sleek hair clad in vibrant red clothes. Looking at the four boys around him, Mo was starting to wonder if he'd accidentally walked into some sort of romance novel. Though he wasn't sure who the protagonist of such a story would be. Himself?

He packed that thought away.

“You must be the Young Master Mo I've heard about.” The newcomer bowed in return.

“Yeah, that's me.” He nodded. “Um, and you are...”

“Oh, of course!” He smiled. “I am Oyuang Zizhen. I heard all about your story. You have so much courage and heart to heart to take up such a quest.” Zizhen put a hand to his chest. “It really moved me. I'd be honoured to help you.”

Mo's eyebrows crept up with every word. “Ah. Um. Thank you.”

“You've really become more sentimental as you've aged,” Jin Ling commented.

“And who are you to talk? Your temper hasn't improved,” Jingyi cut in.

“Friends, let's all settle down,” Sizhui politely butted in, smiling gently.

The five young men gathered around a table where food was brought. Haven already eaten, Jin Ling, Sizhui and Mo enjoyed some drinks and light snacks while Jingyi and Zizhen ate their late meals. Having never spent much time outside of the clan, it was the biggest group of same-age peers that Mo had ever dined with.

“Did they behave?” Jingyi asked the other Pearl.

“Oh, they were fine. It wasn't as dramatic as you made it out to be,” Sizhui reassured.

“Because it's you. If it was me Jin Ling would act up.”

“That's not true.”

Mo and Jin Ling both had matching narrowed eyes as the conversation happened across the table and gave each other a look. They both were thinking the same thing. Why did it feel like the Twin Pearls were talking like their parents?

“Hm, you are gentler on him than the rest of us,” Zizhen pointed out.

“I don't think it's that I'm softer, I think it's just that Jingyi often doesn't think before he speaks.”

“Jingyi doesn't think at all,” Jin Ling commented.

“What? You think because you're in charge here you can say things like that?”

“Because I'm in charge here I can say whatever I want.”

“Hm, didn't you always speak your mind, though?” Zizhen laughed.

“Don't you think he's actually got worse?” Jingyi asked.

Mo watched the four banter among themselves. He'd got quite comfortable around the Twin Pearls, but it was obvious he didn't know them deeper than their outward nature. Jin Ling he knew barely any longer and spent most of that time being separated from him by the gentle, diplomatic soul that was Lan Sizhui. He'd never had any friends of his own, and truthfully he hadn't really seen the need for any. But now, surrounded by this familiar chatter, an emptiness he didn't previously notice echoed inside him,

“Young Master Mo.”

He looked up to see Sizhui's soft, concerned gaze.

“I'm sorry, you must feel quite left out. It's been a while since we have all been able to gather together, so we have quite a bit of catching up to do.”

He shrugged. “It doesn't bother me.”

“Isn't it because of you that we're able to all be here today?” Zizhen smiled. “Let's toast! To old friends and new!” He raised his drink.

The Twin Pearls both raised theirs as well. Eyes fell on Jin Ling. The young Sect Leader looked around then let out an exasperated sigh. He raised his drink, giving Mo a small smile, adding, “To old friends and new.”

Mo huffed a laugh and finally raised his. “To all new friends.”

They all drank, though the Twin Pearls less deeply than the others, to preserve some respect for the Lan Clan code.

The study felt busy with all five searching through both the books and every object that had been removed from Guangyao's room. The Twin Pearls had managed to keep their hands spotless, but the other three had filth all over their fingers and palms. Mo's hair had long since left its neat style and become once again a scruffy mess. Perhaps it was because those two had stuck to carefully picking through each page while the others opened every box and eyeballed all the ornaments they could find.

Mo struggled with a box that the other two had failed to wedge open. It was a puzzle box of some sort, though they were having trouble getting past the first step. Mo, who had spent a lot of time sneaking his way around things, was not deterred.

“Can't we just break it open?” Jin Ling asked, frustrated. He'd already moved on to patting down the back of hanging artworks to make sure they didn't conceal anything.

“He put a spell inside so it won't.” Mo bashed it against the floor to prove a point. The box remained undamaged.

“Hey, don't scratch the tile!”

“Yes, mother.”

Jin Ling clicked his tongue, ready to fight.

“Hey, I've found something.” Zizhen hurried between them and set another box down. He opened it carefully to reveal a long ornate fan, delicately white like snow with a vivid red painted handle.

“A fan?” Jin Ling frowned. “My uncle never had any use for keeping such things unless he intended to use it, and I never saw him with this.”

“He mentions gifting them to Sect Leader Nie in these journals,” Sizhui piped up, “perhaps it was intended to be a gift?”

“Why keep it here? He'd take it over straight away, or have a servant keep it. Why in his quarters?”

“He does mention Sect Leader Nie a lot. Maybe they were close enough that he felt that he should keep hold of it?” Jingyi suggested.

They all looked to Jin Ling for some response.

The Sect Leader leaned back under all the eyes. “How should I know? I never hung around them. Uncle Jiang looked after me most of my life, I didn't come to Lanling until after Nie Huisang became sect leader, and Uncle Jiang didn't much like either of them.”

“Hm. Maybe the fan is just meaningless then.” Zizhen looked a little forlorn that his contribution didn't turn up anything. “But it is strange. It's not something he would have given his wife... Er... Sister... Er...”

The five young men all looked very uncomfortable for a moment.

“Um. Well. Yes. It's still odd, even if it might be meaningless.”

“Though...” Jingyi tapped the book he had. “On its own it might be, but Guangyao did spend a lot of time visiting, or being visited by Sect Leader Nie. There's a lot of records of hi giving gifts, especially fans, to him. But even that isn't strange by itself. Because friends will do that. But often when he has recorded Sect Leader Nie visiting, there are missing pages, or parts of it are damaged. I also haven't found any mention of him purchasing a fan that he never got to gift, so it's possible that it is somehow related to those missing pages.”

The group all took in this information, though unsure what to do with it.

“But how much information could a fan have that whole pages went missing?” Zizhen took it out of the case and unfolded it, as though expecting the answer to be written across.

The crisp white background of the fan was broken by a vibrant detailed piece of calligraphy. Or, it appeared to be at first glance. The sleek, thin lines looked like they could be a logograph, but it was total gibberish if it was. It didn't make for a fan that any normal person would carry about, and the red ornate handle wasn't as delicate as the fashion of most fans. Mo stared at the image, brow tightening.

“But, of course.” Sizhi's eyes widened. He'd been thinking hard as the others spoke. “It's not a thing that's missing, it's a person! He always just records details about people. Isn't it likely that these visits weren't just between two people, but... Between three?”

Jingyi sat up. “That makes sense!”

“So the fan... Could it have been related to this missing person? But who could that person be?”

“I think I know,” Mo muttered. “Zizhen, hold this out.”

“Oh, of course.” Zizhen took the fan from him, keeping it open and flat.

“Are you trying to read it? I don't think it's language.” Jingyi squatted down next to him.

“No. It's not a word. It's a map!”

“A map?” Sizhui joined them both crouched on the ground. “So we have to search in the palace? Or the city?”

“No. Smaller.” He held the puzzle box up. Its edges were the same garish red and its walls white. Sleek black lines patterned its surface. “It's a box puzzle.”

The others leaned in close and watched in awe as Mo read the intricate map painted on the fan and followed its instructions to move pieces around. Sometimes Zizhen's hands drooped when he became distracted and the others had to keep him on track, and even remind Mo where he had been.

Eventually, the box clicked and the lid popped open.

Inside sat a small round container. Mo took it out and inspected it. It was no wider than his palm, polished smooth, with a thin seam running around its edge. He delicately removed the lid.

“Rouge?”

“For his...Wife?” Zizhen asked.

“Why would it be hidden like this?” Jin Ling asked. “Obviously it's not hers.”

“A... Mistress?” Jingyi asked nervously, as though the word might poison him.

Jin Ling shook his head. “He never took another woman.”

“If we think about our clues,” Sizhui said carefully, “I think it is possible that this rogue was for a man.”

“A man?” Jin Ling scoffed.

“Jingyi,” he turned to his friend, “you remember when we first visited Mo Clan? When we first saw Mo Xuanyu, or rather... Senior Wei.”

“I do. He...” Jingyi's eyes widened. “Do you think so? I mean, can you be sure?”

“I think there's only one way.” He looked at his new friend.

Mo stared down at the red powder. No one had really seen Xuanyu since his return to the clan. He'd bee locked out of sight, though there had been glimpses of him: pale white skin and hollow, reddened eyes. A ghost, they said, the ghost of who he was.

He swiped his fingers through the rogue, the striking shade stirring memories of a straggly, thin man dancing through the grounds one horrifying night. He lifted it to his face and brushed it over his eyes. He expected it to itch, but it applied smoothly, sitting on his skin easily. He looked up at the Twin Pearls.

The four boys all stared at him with wide eyes.

“It was like that,” Jingyi breathed, “just like that.”

“I think it's time we spoke to Sect Leader Nie,” Sizhui said, “and find some answers about your cousin.”


	4. Assemble: Unclean Realms

Mo was starting to think that everyone was better at travelling than he was. The Unclean Realm was not at all far away, but being less of a skilled cultivator than the other four he often found himself a little wobbly or nauseous on the journey. The others' hair flowed beautifully behind them, all stood with neat posture and calm expressions. Mo on the other hand had to keep bent knees to stay secure and his wild hair tied itself into knots.

“What happened to you?” Jingyi asked when they landed. “I thought a bird had nested on you.”

“You can really tell when someone isn't from a good family,” Jin Ling muttered.

“You want me to show you what my family is capable of?” Mo threatened, desperately trying to retrieve his hair tie from his wind-wrecked hair.

“There's no need to argue here. Come on, we should get Young Master Mo tidied up before we go in.” One again Sizhui gently diffused the situation.

“Ah, no need to look any further.” Zizhen stepped forwards and grabbed Mo's shoulders, turning him so he could access his hair. “I've had to help my sisters clean up many times so we wouldn't be scolded.” He began to untangle the wild mass with ease and bring it down to some sort of presentable shape.

“You have sisters? How come we didn't know that?” Jin Ling frowned.

“Of course I do. Haven't you seen my father? I'm the youngest of three.”

“I suppose with Lan Sect teachings being divided by gender, we couldn't know who has siblings,” Sizhui mused.

Jingyi hummed and nodded. “It does explain why you're so emotional for a boy.”

“Oh no, my sisters are very cool and strong. I'm like this way on my own.” He finished tying the hair into place. “You're all done.”

Mo patted his hair, surprised to find it so tightly held in place. “Oh. This is really good work. But isn't it a bit...” His fingers trailed over braids that circled around either side of his head.

The other boys seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“I've only ever done my sister's hair like this,” Zizhen explained.

“Well, I think it looks nice. It's much better than it was before.”

They all agreed with Sizhui's words.

Tidied up and ready to go, they made their way to the front gates in a neat little group. As they were about to request entry, Mo looked around to realise Jin Ling had hung back. The others had realised this too and they all slowed to a stop.

“Hey, what's wrong?” Jingyi called back.

“Nothing!”

Sizhui blinked at the Jin leader's angered tone. He looked from the gates, then back. “Oh, could it be that coming here is quite difficult for you?”

Jin Ling puffed his chest out like a rooster. “What are you trying to say? I'm not afraid of him!”

“I never said that you were afraid...”

Jin Ling's face became impressively multicoloured as he both went pale and red at the same time. “This is ridiculous!” He marched forwards, pushing past them. Instead of knocking at the gates as they expected him to, he pushed right through them and drew his sword fast enough to parry the attacks from the guards. “I demand audience with Sect Leader Nie! The matter is urgent!”

The guards, thoroughly unprepared for such a thing but far too afraid of the young leader's furious expression, hurried to send the message.

“Be prepared to do some damage control,” Sizhui whispered to Jingyi.

“Why us? Why can't we let him get into trouble for this? He needs to cool his temper.”

“Because we're Lan clan and it is our duty to maintain a good relationship with others.”

“Aren't you also Wen clan?” Jingyi was looking thoroughly unhappy about the situation.

“Well, if I'm also representing the last of the Wen clan, don't I have extra duty to ensure our reputation is good?” Without waiting for a reply, Sizhui continued after the young leader with his head high and demeanour calm. Jingyi eventually followed, naturally graceful but far less accepting of it all.

“We have a lot to be thankful for, don't you think?” Zizhen asked in a private voice.

“Don't speak too soon,” Mo replied and gestured with his head to follow after the other three.

Jin Ling had made some progress in his unstoppable intrusion. By the time the last pair caught up there were already a pair of very baffled guards leading them to where the Sect Leader waited. They were shown into the grand room, luxuriously decorated with calligraphy on wall scrolls and spread-out fans with gold trims. A pair of handsome, carved dragons sat at either side of the low table in the centre of the room, smooth green bodies shining.

Behind the table, perched on a silk cushion, was Nie Huisang himself. True to the reputation he'd built, he had a nervous air about him and his wide eyes didn't meet any of them.

“What a pleasant surprise,” the Sect Leader greeted in a voice that begged for mercy.

“Cut the bullshit, you know I don't buy that act.”

Huisang pressed his lips tight, visibly displeased by the language. He glanced at the group, sliding past Jin Ling's stormy expression over the Twin Pearls, past Zizhen, and finally onto Mo. His eyes widened and his breath caught.

But only for a second.

“A surprise none the less.” The older Sect Leader turned his face away once more and reached down to his hip where he stored a little white fan. He tugged on it, slowly freeing it from his belt.

“Looking for a fan to hide behind already? Here. Try this one.” Jin Ling reached into his sleeve and produced the red fan and held it out.

Huisang stiffened when he saw it, eyes widening even further. “That...”

“Not good enough? Here, I can open it for you.” Jin Ling continued mercilessly. He gave the fan a flick, spreading it open with a loud clack.

Huisang flinched at the sound and closed his eyes. “That... Is not my fan.”

“Really?” Jin Ling didn't sound convinced. “Because I have a hard time believing it was my uncles.”

“Of course. I doubt Sect Leader Jiang would keep such a thing.” He said it automatically without any sort of convincing acting.

“With all due respect, Sect Leader Nie, now is not the time to play the fool.” Sizhui followed this up by bowing politely, then sat at one of the available cushions.

“How could you really understand what is right to do in my position? When have you ever been in such a situation?” The Sect Leader's expression had changed, from wide-eyed nerves to cold and stern.

“We in the Lan clan are taught honesty and honour. In your situation, we would simply choose not to.” Jingyi sat down beside Sizhui, the two pearls identically neat and composed.

Huisang clicked his tongue and tucked his fan back where it belonged.

“If this isn't your fan, why don't you explain how you recognise it and why it was in Guangyao's possession?” Jin Ling asked, sitting on one of the cushions.

“Or perhaps why it is the key for opening he box containing Mo Xuanyu's blush?” Sizhui added.

“Or why you had such an emotional response to seeing Young Master Mo just now?”

Mo looked over, surprised that Zizhen had spoken. The young man, who normally had such a friendly and tender air about him, now had a very intense look in his eyes. They both took their seats.

Huisang shrugged. “Why should I know any of these things?”

“My uncle's journals suggest you should,” Jin Ling responded, leaning in across the table. “Everyone knows you two were close. He never cared for fans or calligraphy. The only art he kept was gifted by Sect Leader Lan. This-” He waved the fan aggressively. “-is not his work. Maybe you don't know all the details, but I have enough evidence to prove you know more than you're letting on.”

Huisang held his gaze, then leaned in slightly. “I don't know,” he spoke. “I simply don't know about this. Don't ask me.”

Jin Ling jerked forwards, a hand raised. Sizhui was faster and gripped his wrist, yanking him down to sit again.

“Sect Leader Nie, if I may be frank: your head-shaking act is meaningless to us. Jin Ling here has first-hand experience in knowing your true nature. Hanguan-Jun did not spill any secrets, but he did warn us to be more perceptive towards you. There is no point in lying. We know enough to have brought us here. Being truthful with us is your best option here.” Sizhui said all of this in his best calm and logical voice.

Huisang didn't reply for a moment, eyeing the group up. Jin Ling stared hard back at him, accusing eyes boring into his soul. Though Jin Guangyao's secrets had been spilt and the truth of his actions made public to all the clans, his death had come at a cost. Raised with no parents by his uncles, only to see his most friendly and comforting uncle unmasked and murdered one traumatic night, Jin Ling had been left to scrape himself and his clan back together almost entirely by himself at a young and naïve age. Jiang Chen, who had rebuilt his own clan at a similar age, was far less sympathetic to his nephew's grief than he should have been.

“Do you know what truth you ask for?” He said, finally. “Some things are better buried and forgotten in the past where they belong. For everyone's sake.”

“Don't you think these secrets have caused enough harm?” Jin Ling burst out.

“Please calm down!” Sizhui pulled the young sect leader back down once more.

“It is precisely because of the harm they have caused that I want them gone,” Huisang snapped back. “You're all too young to know the suffering and hardships we endured, the things it drove people to. Jin Ruolan, you wear your grief on your sleeve and make it everyone else's business. Do you not think I also suffered when your father died? I had my disagreements with him, but I grew up with him. I attended his wedding with Jiang Yanli. I was at the celebrations when the news came of his death! Do you not think I mourned? Do you think I sat idly by and enjoyed watching Wei Wuxian become corrupted? Do you think I delighted in his death how others did? That I did not feel an emptiness where my friends once stood?” His voice had become thick now, cracking as he spoke. “Jiang Chen refused any help or company. He took all that pain and turned it into anger. I couldn't be there, I couldn't bear to watch suffering poison someone else I cared about. When Jin Guangyao killed my brother I realised how alone I was, how few allies I really had left.” He sniffed and straightened up, eyes watery and red around the edges. “Forgive me for not jumping to unearth more sorrow and hardship. I have felt first hand every ounce of suffering the past drips with.”

The snow of silence stopped even the wind through the trees. The five young men slowly unearthed themselves from its suffocating weight. Jin Ling blinked back tears.

“Sect Leader Nie.” Mo stood, heart clenching in his throat. “We already know that these secrets hurt you, because of what you have had to do to bring it to an end. We're grateful for what you've sacrificed.” He bowed deeply and the other four hurried to do the same. “But these secrets don't stay locked away like tigers. They leak out like blood in water, and it never clears. Because of these secrets, my clan suffers from the stains of the past. My cousin's spirit is destroyed, and only his legacy remains to be tarnished. You lost your friends and brother, I lost family too. As Zizhen said, it's clear you recognised my face, but you were probably recognising my cousin's face instead. Whether or not you'll tell us yourself doesn't matter, because no matter what I want to cleanse my family's name and save our future from the pain of the past.” He knelt this time to bow so deeply his brow met the ground. “Please tell us the truth. If you don't, we will simply find out in a more inconvenient way.”

The other four stared at him, then turned to the Sect Leader for his response.

Huisang watched him, biting his lip and brows pinched. He looked at them each individually, then back to the kneeling young man. A deep sigh welled within him and he let it out, shoulders falling. “Okay. You win. Get up and sit properly and I will tell you.”

Mo hurried to settle back on his cushion. The five young men shuffled forwards, leaning in to listen to what the Sect Leader had to say. Huisang struggled not to laugh at the absurdity of it.

“It began before most of you were born. Jin Guangyao and I became very close when he visited to play for my brother. He was as everyone knew him: charming, friendly, compassionate. My brother didn't approve of my lifestyle. Mingjue had dedicated himself to leading the family to greatness, and so he expected early death. He knew I would be the one to continue the family line. The art, the music, the poetry... Didn't promise the man my brother wanted me to be. He threatened to beat it out of me on a few occasions, but never did.” He rolled his eyes a little, thinking back on his older brother's furious face. “Guangyao saw me for who I was and indulged me. And with Guangyao came his brother Xuanyu. The three of us were good friends, though we had to keep a lot of it secret, especially our connection to someone as open and shameless as your cousin.” He gave Mo a pointed look. “But that never bothered him. Our meetings were a safe haven, we were people he could happily be himself around without the worry of being judged. He was secure with us.”

“Huh?” Jingyi frowned. “Why did he specifically feel safe with you two?”

Sizhui had caught on a lot quicker, his face a little pink. He reached out and put a hand over his mouth. “Don't be disrespectful,” he whispered.

The other three boys were starting to understand. Jin Ling had gone red in the cheeks. Now Huisang smiled, amused by their reactions.

“Your cousin,” he continued, talking directly to Mo, “never harassed anyone. If you find out I'm speaking lies, know this is absolutely true.”

Mo nodded, feeling nervous under the older Sect Leader's stare.

“He absolutely didn't harass Guangyao. Not for a minute. Not even as a joke. They were brothers, as much as any other brothers existed. I know Zixuan and Guangyao didn't get along so easily, but Xuanyu and Guangyao had a natural brotherhood only they could understand. I suppose they both felt like they had to prove something, and they had each others' back.” He sighed and reached out, filling himself a cup from the teapot on the table. “Or so we thought anyway. But they were certainly close, we all were. But only as brothers. Guangyao was our friend and advisor, he helped us with our struggles. No thoughts of indecency passed through anyone's mind. Besides,” He sipped his tea, “we all knew he was spoken for.”

“Qin Su,” Jin Ling offered.

“Wife and sister,” Jingyi added, then received a slap on the arm from Sizhui.

Huisang paused a moment and looked at his reflection in the cup. He made a face, somewhere between amusement and distaste, like he'd been given the wrong drink as a prank. “Yes. Her too.” He drained his cup and breathed out. “So there was really no reason for him to even consider making a move on Guangyao. His alleged harassment was completely fabricated to slander him. Nothing ever happened between them.”

The young men looked at each other, eyes wide as they took all of this in.

“That's only Xuanyu and Guangyao,” Jin Ling pointed out, arms crossed. “What about Xuanyu and you?”

The Twin Pearls cringed visibly. Zizhen looked around as though the walls had inexplicably become very fascinating. Mo stared at Huisang, who had suddenly become like a statue.

“We were close.”

“Just close?” Mo pressed.

Huisang pursed his lips and set his cup down. “This matter isn't something that should be discussed with young ears.” He pushed his sleeves back and stood, preparing to leave.

“Wait! We're not children anymore!” Jin Ling shouted, standing as well.

“Aren't we as old as you were?” Sizhui added.

“Please,” Mo stood as well. “You say you were close, that you were friends. Don't you care about this, too? About clearing his name and honouring his death? Can you stand by and let his suffering be in vain?”

Huisang watched him, jaw clenched and hands wringing at his waist. “You look far too much like him, you know?” He slowly sat back down. “If it was anyone else, I wouldn't even think about divulging this information.”

“I understand.” Mo sat down as well and Jin Ling followed suit. “If you were anyone else I wouldn't be trying.”

Huisang huffed a laugh. “Well, okay then.” He poured himself out a cup of tea, then filled the other cups and pushed them towards the young men. “It's a very long story. It's not an exciting one filled with fighting or monsters. It will be... Very unconventional. You're all aware that Mo Xuanyu was a proud cut-sleeve, so you should already have an idea of what to expect. You're all adults, so I won't hold back any details.” He took a slow draught of his tea and breathed out. “It began over twenty years ago...”


	5. Memories Part 1: Tender Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for my next trick i will pretend to remember how the 16 year gap canon timeline goes

Huisang trotted through Koi Tower towards the private room Guangyao kept for their meetings. He could already smell food waiting for him and slipped into the room without knocking. A deeply amused expression pulled at his lips.

“I thought you reserved these days just for us,” he said, joining the other two young men at the low table.

“Don't I? Do you think I've called for someone else?” Guangyao asked with raised eyebrows, picking up a treat from the plate in front of him.

“I just saw Lan Xichen leaving. I know for a fact you'd never turn him away.” He glanced at Xuanyu and wiggled his eyebrows.

“They had their practice today. Lan Xichen was very complimentary of Guangyao's skills,” Xuanyu explained in a drawling voice as he lifted the teapot to fill Huisang's cup.

“I didn't realise you had to practice giving each other dreamy eyes.” Huisang took the cup and sipped the hot tea.

Guangyao tutted. “Don't be crass. We're sworn brothers.”

“Is that what they're calling it now?” Huisang laughed.

“Brotherhood between sworn brothers must be something very different.” Xuanyu winked.

Guanyao didn't reply, pretending he hadn't heard anything.

“Speaking of brothers, both literal and sworn, how does Mingjue let you come here?” Xuanyu poked Huisang with his elbow.

“There's no reason to stop me. As long as Guangyao keeps pretending he's encouraging my cultivation studies I can come and go as I please.” His smile faded a little. “Though it does not please Mingjue one bit.”

“It would please him less if he found out what we're doing here,” Guangyao added.

“Ah, really, all your secrets must be exhausting.” Xuanyu draped himself over the table and took a snack. “You should try just living as openly as I am. The insults get boring very quickly.”

“But you've already brought up the main reason we keep quiet,” Guangyao pointed out.

“It would be the first time in Nie clan history that a leader would kill his brother and sworn brother in the same night.”

“I guess you will both have to live vicariously through me.” He tossed a treat into his mouth.

“Yes, tell us again how no one wants to go night hunting with you.” Guangyao's dimples deepened as he repressed a mocking smirk behind his drink.

“I swear they all have such strange ideas. Why do they think I have no self-control around them. Besides, none of them are even my type.” Xuanyu huffed.

“Oh? Who is your type.” Huisang grinned.

“Hmm. Not too tall, artistic, non-confrontational, definitely owns way too many erotic books.”

Huisang giggled at Xuanyu's heavy-hooded eyes. “Are you sure you can't control yourself?”  
“I'm starting to wonder the same thing.”

Guangyao rolled his eyes. “Don't get too familiar here or I'll throw you both out.”

“As if you would be so cruel to your own darling brother.” Xuanyu gave him a sweet smile.

“Darling? Is that what they're calling it now?”

Xuanyu laughed. “We will behave, I promise.”

“When you're looking, anyway,” Huisang added.

“My guests are always far too comfortable,” he complained jokingly and took a treat. “I do suspect that the reason other cultivators avoid you is more to do with the makeup you insist on wearing.”

Xuanyu grinned, pink blushed cheeks squishing his eyes. “If the girls can look so lovely with it on, why not me too? Ah, speaking of.” He leaned forwards over the table and put his hands together. “My last one got broken. Could you keep hold of my new one for me? It's expensive for me to keep replacing it.”

“What are you doing that keeps getting your makeup broken?”

“More like, what are others doing? But that's not the point. Please look after it for me?”

Guangyao thought about it, then nodded. “Okay, but I'll have to keep it very safe and hidden away. If it was found in my possession it would be very difficult for me to explain it. Especially to Qin Su.”

“You'll find a way.” Xuanyu passed the small case of blush over and Guangyao stored it neatly in his sleeve.

“A childproof way.” Guangyao sighed.

“Ah, of course. Little Jin Ruolan must be getting to a curious age now.” Huisang nodded. “Doesn't Jiang Chen raise him?”  
“He comes by occasionally to learn of the Jin Clan ways,” Xuanyu explained, “though of course, Guangyao makes sure it never clashes with us.”

“I'm no good with children anyway.” Huisang shrugged.

“How embarrassing it is for us that clan leadership will skip an entire generation. But such is the life of us bastard children,” Xuanyu mourned to Guangyao.

“Hm. Don't be so sure.”

“Ah, you're still seeking recognition from father? Even if you are accepted as Jin Clan, he will find ways to make sure he skips over you. As soon as Jin Ling is of age he'll be putting plans in motion.”

“Aren't you here because he intends not to skip a generation?”  
“I don't want that. Why do you think I let myself be so shameless?”

Guangyao clicked his tongue and didn't respond.

“Ah, let's not speak of such difficult things,” Huisang insisted.

“We all live such difficult lives. What else should we talk about?” Xuanyu rolled himself off the table and plopped his head into Huisang's lap.

“Anything less bleak. Haven't we had a bleak enough past few years? Things only now seem to be settling down.”

“Okay then, my dear. How about we ask about Guangyao's other pretty man friend, the scary one with the broken finger?”

“He is not-”

“No. I won't hear of this either.” Huisang put his hands to his ears. “I don't want to know! Mingjue complains about him too much! I don't want to know about this.”

Xuanyao laughed. “You better hope your brother finds himself a wife soon, or you'll end up being the worst leader the Nie clan ever sees with that attitude.”

“He's going to live a full, long life and I won't have to worry about a thing. Guangyao is making sure his health is fine. Right?”

Guangyao nodded as he sipped his tea. “Of course. I was practising with Xichen this morning. I will ensure your brother's sickness doesn't cause him any more struggles.”

“See? I can trust you to keep everything safe for me.” Huisang had begun playing with Xuanyu's wavy hair, twisting it between his fingers. “So you and I can keep seeing each other and not worry about anything.”

“Of course. We can rely on you, right, brother?”

Guangyao looked down at Xuanyu over his drink. The wafts of steam from the cup gave him a ghostly impression. “Of course. Can't I be trusted for anything?”


	6. Memories Part 2: Painful Truths

“Snooping, Xuanyu?” Guangyao's mild voice asked, as though commenting on the weather.

“I'll be honest, I was looking for a dirty letter your lover might have hidden away in the books you borrow,” Xuanyu replied.

“No such thing exists. And you must stop referring to Xichen like that, we're sworn brothers.”

“Oh? You brought his name up first, not me.”

No one else would have noticed it, but the two half brothers were close enough that Xuanyu could see when Guangyao's cheeks went slightly pink. “Well if you've found nothing you can go back to drinking and enjoying Huisang's art books. That would be a much more enjoyable use of your time.” He stepped over, checking his table for anything missing.

“I wouldn't say I found nothing.”

Guangyao stared at the pile of books he'd secretly borrowed from the Cloud Recess library. One was significantly missing. He turned to see Xuanyu holding it in his hands, open.

“I let you play your delicate sweet act around Huisang because we both know he respects you, I really did you a favour when I defended your suspicious collection of Wei Wuxian's work” Xuanyu said quietly, “but you know that I know who you really are under all those smiles. I let it slide because I get it, it's a cruel life for bastards like us. But this? This is evil, Yao. I can't let you continue with this.”

Guangyao watched his brother carefully for a moment, then smiled pleasantly. “And who said you were letting me do anything?”

“I'm destroying this. You're not going to continue whatever twisted plan you've cooked up this time.” Xuanyu held the Collection of Turmoil at its bindings, ready to tear it.

Guangyao's smile never faltered. “You and I both know I've already memorised everything I need in there. Destroying it would be meaningless.”

Xuanyu's grip shifted, the two silently stood facing each other. “Fine. I'll use it as evidence. I'll bring it to your beloved Sect Leader Lan and we'll see how he feels about theft.” He dropped his hands and turned, taking two long strides to the door.

“Wait!” Guangyao threw himself to the ground, gripping Xuanyu's leg, head bowed to the ground. “Please don't! You know he's the only one who can tolerate me! Please, please don't damage his image of me.”

Xuanyu clicked his tongue. “Don't grovel at me.”

“Aren't we brothers? Don't you understand me more than anyone? I promise I'm doing nothing wrong.”

“Then why do you have this?” Xuanyu tried to shake the pleading man off his leg.

“To protect myself! I'm not as strong or skilled as others, I have no formal cultivation training. I only survived battles, I was no hero! Don't I need something to keep myself safe when others inevitably turn on me?” He was sobbing now.

Xuanyu sighed, resigned. “Let me go. I won't do anything.”

Guanyao did as he was told, peeling off him and shuffling back.

“Seriously, Yao. This? This is how you end up like the Yiling Patriarch. You knew him, didnt you? You know how he became so twisted and cruel. Is that what you want, to become inhuman? To become a demon lusting for blood? Really... I won't tell anyone anything bad, but I am going to ask Sect Leader Lan to try to purify you.” He turned to leave once more.

“I can't allow you to do that.”

Xuanyu had only just looked back when Guangyao attacked. The other man had produced his guqin and flicked his hand across the strings in a single, powerful blow. The evil chord burst through Xuanyu's ears and infiltrated his mind with dark images, horrors he'd never imagined possible. With another strum he dropped to his knees, the book falling from his hands so he could cover his ears. He let out a howl of pain.

Quick as a shot, Guangyao snapped up the book and stored it inside his clothes.

“You- you foul-” Xuanyu garbled, vision twisted and voice strained. “Give it-” He crawled over and grabbed his brother, pulling at his clothes. “Give--!”

“Help!” Guangyao screamed.

“You bastard!” Xuanyu snapped. His shaking body was out of his control and his desperate hands ripped Guangyao's collar. He was nowhere near retrieving the Collection of Turmoil.

A pair of firm hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him off Guangyao. Xuanyu wailed as the guards restrained him. Another guard hurried over to his brother, who was looking thoroughly man-handled with his ripped clothes and messy hair.

“I can't believe what he did,” Guangyao was saying, voice shaking and weak, “he just jumped on me like that, demanding I give myself to him! I can't understand- after all I've done for him-”

Xuanyu could feel his brain collapsing in on itself. He tried to yell out the truth but instead he made a sound like a hyena laughing. His wrists were bound and he was dragged away, kicking and howling.

Guangyao watched him go, a cruel smile on his face. He adjusted his clothes.

Huisang had never considered himself the best actor. Certainly, his lies about practising his swordsmanship had never convinced his brother before he died. Before he was killed.

Playing himself, however,was an easy enough role- especially when everyone so readily bought his excuses of ignorance and incompetence. It was insulting, actually... But it worked. His exterior remained innocent, soft and naïve, while inside he churned like a bed of enraged snakes. No, he had no idea, no one ask him, ask someone else, get someone else to do it, he really didn't have a clue... And so on. No one bothered him. No one interrupted him. He slipped out of the Unclean Realm unnoticed and unquestioned.

The room Xuanyu was kept in was about the size of a bedroom at an inn. All of his life contained in a single four-walled box, isolated and ignored. At least he was kept alive, he thought, and not quietly executed for shaming the Mo clan.

Huisang slipped inside as he had done several times before. Earlier on, when he'd first found out what Guangyao had done, Xuanyu's small home had been kept somewhat tidy though bare and impersonal. Huisang had sneaked in papers and ink, a few books, some nice mementos. How, however, his home was wrecked. Furniture broken, things stolen or smashed, ink splattered and smeared on the surfaces. It was hard to tell what had been done by Xuanyu's abusers and what had been done by himself in his fits. Huisang tried to tidy what he could, but it was shovelling snow in a blizzard.

“My lucid moments are becoming shorter,” Xuanyu told him, picking at the food he'd been brought.

“They're still happening, there's hope. We'll find a way,” he replied. He'd brought something nicer than the slop the Mo clan was supplying, but the weakened man hardly noticed what he ate any more.

“There's nothing. My mind is fragments of what it was. I'm already a lost cause.”

“That's not true!” Huisang shuffled forwards and squeezed his hand between his own.

Xuanyu gave him a pained smile and blinked, eyes watery. “I don't remember your name.” His voice cracked.

Huisang's mouth opened, but he couldn't say a word. The ache inside him threatened to burst through his bones and drown the world.

“I can't live this way,” Xuanyu continued, holding his hand. “I won't. I can't continue not knowing when I'll next come around. I don't want to space out one day and never come back.”

“You can't talk like that.” Huisang's voice was rough with grief.

“One day you'll visit and it won't be me who greets you. There'll be nothing but the ghosts he put in my head. I'm doing it soon.”

“Xuanyu...” Huisang choked out, “Don't throw your life away.”

The other and huffed a laugh. “Throw it away... Ah, if only I could be useful... Just once more, to take my revenge on that cockroach of a man.”

Huisang sniffled as he stroked the pale hands of his lover. A dark thought crept its way into his mind. “There is... One way.”  
“What?” Xuanyu sat upright. “What way?”

“I-” Huisang blinked, tears blurring his vision. “I- I shouldn't-”

“The... The ritual. That ritual in Wuxian's writings...”

Xuanyu stared at him. “How do you remember such a thing?”

“My brother's body is missing,” he admitted, “I've only tracked down one piece of it. What's been done to him was so evil and dark, I thought... The only person who would've known what to do would be Wuxian himself. I...” He cast his eyes down.

“How dark the world has become that such thoughts come to your mind.”

“I was too naïve before.”

“I would have kept you that way.”

Huisang took a heavy breath, shaking.

“Do you remember it?” Xuanyu asked, voice quiet.

He nodded. “Most of it.”

“I might be able to fill out the empty gaps. Get some paper. Write it down.”

Huisang did as he was told, shakily penning out the ritual onto a single sheet. He remembered the horror and fascination he'd felt when he'd first found the writings in Guangyao's belongings. At the time he'd believed it was a love for collecting that motivated not destroying such a thing. Now he understood the truth.

“Yes... This looks right.” Xuanyu nodded as he took the page. “Sooner, I think... Rather than later. Before he can do anything else.”

Huisang swallowed and nodded.

“You should go.” Xuanyu raised a hand to wipe his lover's cheek dry. “Don't come back here. If you see me again... I'll be gone.”

Huisang nodded, squeezing his eyes shut. “Xuanyu, I-”

“I know,” he said quietly. “Forget it. Forget me.”

He nodded again, swallowing a painful lump in his throat.”

“Go. Don't look back.”

Huisang stood. He held Xuanyu's hand tightly, afraid of letting go. The other man gave him a soft encouraging smile. They exchanged no more words. Huisang hurried out into the dark, covering himself with a hooded cloak. With the awful plan in motion, he only had one last thing to do.

He took the spirit pouch from his sleeve.


	7. Bargain: Making Arrangements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapters are going to be a bit shorter because its nanowrimo

The five young men sat in silence, processing what they'd heard. Jin Ling had become so enraged towards the end of the story that Sizhui had held him in place, grip so firm it left a hand-print bruise when he finally let go. Mo sat with his fists clenched on his knees, nails biting through the skin.

Xuanyu's madness was still fresh in his memory: the screams in the night, the babbling, the terrified eyes. Knowing that there had been times when he was lucid, that he could've told his truth, but was denied that by his tarnished reputation, sickened him down to his core.

“So... Then it was you who brought Master Wei back? But why him?”  
“Didn't he do exactly what I needed him to?”

“Well... Yes.”

“There is your answer.” Huisang lifted his drink to his lips and found it empty. He sighed heavily. “I don't expect you to understand me. I am not a man who enjoys the death of others. What I did was not something I had ever considered doing before, and certainly not something anyone else expected I would do. This is largely why I was so successful.” He put his cup down to refill it, but the pot was empty now. “I will add...” He looked up at them all, holding their gaze with sharp eyes. “It is not something I couldn't do again. If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I will find out. I have enough to worry about without whispers going on behind my back.”

The five nodded quickly. Jin Ling especially looked terrified, having totally forgotten his position as a Sect Leader.

“So now you know my story, but I don't know what good you'll do with it.” He waved a hand, summoning a servant over, who replaced the pot with a newly filled one.

“I hoped that you might do one more thing for me,” Mo replied quietly, thumbs rubbing the skin off the side of his hand.

The other four turned to look at him, raised brows. He pressed his mouth in a tight line and didn't look at any of them. Huisang didn't respond to him, pouring out a new cup of tea. The older man cooled with a few blows, then took the first sip. The young men remained still and silent, as though encased in glass.

“What else could you want of me?” Huisang asked after a long pause. “Haven't I exposed enough of myself today?”

“I'm not asking for any more secrets, what you have left can remain forgotten.” Mo took a deep breath and steadied himself. “Lies ruined my family's reputation, and that reputation has held us back from moving forward. I know it's a lot, but... As you and my cousin were close... Would you vouch for my family, and help us restore our relationship with the other clans and uplift our family name?”

“Bluntly asking for an allyship, immediately after guilting me into revealing my darkest secret?”

Mo looked down and swallowed. Zizhen reached over and rubbed his back. Jin Ling suddenly remembered who he was, and shuffled close to Mo.

“I'm going to use my influence to spread the word that the accusations against Xuanyu were lies,” the young leader said boldly, “I don't have any problem with helping a smaller clan out, and it comes at no expense.”

Mo looked at him with wide eyes. Jin Ling met his stare, then turned away with a huff.

“What? It's an obvious thing to do.”

“Thank you...”

Huisang watched them with a small smile on his mouth and relaxed a little. “It's easy enough for men of your age to vouch for each other, people will understand you're friends and doing right by each other - especially when the Jin clan is in its current fractured state. However, the Nie clan remains much the same as it always had. For me to suddenly vouch for the Mo clan would seem strange and unexpected, and I have no reason for it. As far as anyone can know, we're total strangers.”

“But wouldn't truth and kindness drive you to help them anyway?” Sizhui asked, with all the purity and naivety of the Lan clan teachings.

Huisang held back a laugh. “Things are more complicated outside of Cloud Recess.”

“People are without morals outside of Cloud Recess,” Jingyi mumbled.

Sizhui hit his arm. “Don't speak badly of others.”

“It's true. You've seen it to.”

Sizhui huffed.

“If you need good reason to support us,” Mo began, “then I have the solution.” He stood as the others watched him, and puffed his chest out. “Not only am I clearing my family name, but I will bring honour and fame to it as well!”

“...And how do you plan to do that?”  
Mo grinned and slapped a hand to his chest. “The mistakes of the past have hurt too many for too long. I am going to end it, and destroy the Tiger Seal once and for all!”

Huisang burst out laughing, then stopped when he realised the young man was serious. “Don't be ridiculous. You don't even know where it is.”

“He believes it is locked away with Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao,” Sizhui explained. “He has good reason to. Everyone's noticed how powerful the resentful energy there is. Much more than it should be. If it remains unmanaged then the surrounding area could end up completely ruined.”

“So the plan is to just break in and somehow destroy it? It sounds very far-fetched to me.”

“Not at all!” Jin Ling stood now. “All of us have battled dangerous enemies, and the Tiger Seal is something we have a duty to destroy. Half has been destroyed once, it's not impossible to destroy the other.”

“Ah. Of course you're involved with this too.” Huisang drained his cup. “Do you know that the Nie clan has spent thousands of years combating resentful energy? Something that powerful is not easily taken down. Or methods are not favourable-”

Jin Ling made an indignant noise at this.

“-but they work. I've been doing research trying to find new ways of safely dispelling such damaging forces, and found nothing. How exactly do you expect to exceed that?”

There was a silence, followed by Zizhen nervously suggesting, “Well, we have many skills from many clans.”

“That's right!” Mo latched onto it and grabbed Sizhui and Jingyi's shoulders, pulling them up. “Two Lan cultivators who can use Cleansing songs to nullify resentful energy. One of them even has access to the remaining knowledge of the Wen clan.” He gave Sizhui's arm a slap. “We also have the leader of the Jin Clan and all his clan's knowledge and power,” He shook Jin Ling by the arm. “And...” He turned to Zizhen, who was looking at him with an expectant smile. “...Other sorts of clans abilities- and me!” He quickly went back to puffing his chest out. “The best cultivator the Mo Clan has seen!”

Zizhen looked crestfallen.

“Is that your best quality?” Jingyi asked nevously.

“You should have ended on me,” Jin Ling muttered.

“Those details aren't the point.” Mo waved the criticism off. “We have many skills to bring together, which is better than always working on one skill. If you keep a struggle a secret, then you'll never get any outside perspectives. With all of us together, we can do something other people haven't managed alone.”

Huisang looked at the determined group of young men. He tilted his head back and let out the longest, deepest sigh he'd ever done before. After a pause, he spoke. “Fine. I won't deny that you have good ideas.” He looked back at them. “But I warn you that what you'll meet in that tomb is more powerful and dangerous than anything you'll have faced before. Can you really be sure you're ready to put up a fight? Do you think you're strong enough?”  
“Of course!” Jin Ling replied immediately.

Mo wasn't so sure. Aside from Zizhen, who he knew very little about, he was aware that the others were far stronger than himself. In fact, in a fight, he might end up a liability.

“Well, if it wouldn't be too inconvenient,” Sizhui mused, “I could ask Uncle Ning. He's happy to help with things, and would probably show up anyway.”

“That's true. He always makes night hunting much easier,” Jingyi agreed with a nod.

Jin Ling had gone pale. “We'll be fine without him.”

“Historically, haven't we been much better with his protection?” Zizhen said. “You know he means no harm.”

Jin Ling pouted. “Fine. But I don't have to speak to him.”

“Very well,” Sizhui sighed.

Mo had lost track of what was going on. He turned to Huisang, who was rubbing his temples with a displeased expression.

“Sect Leader Nie, we really are determined to carry this plan out. We believe it's the right thing to do,”Sizhui explained. “As Young Master Mo has said before, we will carry this plan out regardless of who permits it, so it would be easier if we could have your word that you'll help uplift the Mo clan when we destroy the Tiger Seal.”

“I can't promise something if you're all just going to die.”

“If we die, you will have let it happen.”

The other four turned to Mo with shocked expressions, but he kept his eyes on the Nie Sect Leader. Huisang stared back at him, steady and calculating.

“Fine.” The older man turned away. “Since you are all desperate to do the unreasonable. I will make you an offer.”

The boys all sat back down, neatly lined up to listen.

“I will allow you access to the Nie Clan library and research. In exchange, any discoveries, breakthroughs and notes you make must be shared with the Nie clan for our use. Everything must be kept completely secret, and I anything gets out you will regret it.”

They nodded.

“Only then will I make the effort to uplift the Mo clan. This will pay for the damages my part in the suffering of the Mo family name, and you won't be able to guilt me into any more of your future plans. Agreed?”

“I agree,” Mo responded.

The others nodded.

“We'll drink to it.” Huisang waved for a servant to bring them alcohol.

“Oh, I'm afraid we can't.” Sizhui gestured to himself and Jingyi.

“Hm? But you've drunk with us several times,” Zizhen pointed out.

Sizhui's face coloured.

“We'll keep it a secret,” Huisang assured.

The servant brought a bottle and cups, then poured out the alcohol for each of them.

“To secret agreements.” Huisang raised the cup.

They all raised their drinks, and tilted their heads back to drain the cups in one go. The Lan cultivators covered their mouths as they did so, as though to hide what they were doing.

“You begin immediately,” Huisang told them. “Guest rooms will be arranged while I show you the library.”


	8. Bargain: Five Hands In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> every week i post a page of made-up nonsense and play it off as having a clue how the mechanics of the MDZS world works

Two days into research and Jin Ling was bored. The five of them were gathered in a secret Nie clan library, all of the books and scrolls inside filled with the secrets used to control the vengeful sabre spirits. Sizhui had found an ongoing list of every person who's body had been used to fill the walls of the burial grounds and put it away quickly, face pale.

“This is getting us nowhere,” the sect leader complained, flipping closed yet another book. “This is all things they tried that haven't worked. In fact, much of this looks like demonic cultivation to me! If it weren't for my current situation, I would...” He trailed off, working himself up until he was red in the face.

“What? What would you do?” Jingyi antagonized. “From what I heard, you already lost to this once.”

“I did not LOSE to it!” Jin Ling snapped.

“Don't argue,” Sizhui spoke up, already exhausted. “We're doing something no one else has done before, it's going to be difficult.”

“Think about what else we could achieve working like this,” Zizhen mused. “Of course every clan keeps techniques secret for a reason, but if we all shared ideas now and then we could really make amazing strides in cultivation.”

“That's only if we can trust each other with those techniques,” Jingyi mumbled. “The last Jin clan member to learn Lan techniques used them for evil.”

“Weren't those Lan techniques already evil?” Jin Ling raised a brow.

“It was your clan leader who chose to trust him,” Mo added.

“Please, let's just stay on track.” Sizhui looked at his wit's end.

“Maybe we all need some air!” Zizhen closed his notebook and stood. “Let's go out! Arts and visual beauty have been prioritised in the Unclean Realm these past few years, we should explore and view the gardens and statues.”

“Yeah.” Mo looked up. “We should go out!”

Zizhen clapped his hands together and beamed.

“We'll head to the Nie burial grounds! We can get some hands-on investigation done and get a better feel for what we're doing.”

Zizhen's expression fell. “But... Wouldn't we rather do something more relaxing?”

“The noble Jin Sect Leader is already half asleep as it is.”

Jin Ling scowled and sat up. “All this book stuff is boring! I'd prefer we did something practical if we're going to waste all this time messing around with the Nie Clan resources.”

“Good idea!” Sizhui brightened up. “A hands-on approach should help us out a lot!”

Zizhen sighed, his plans for a gentle afternoon in a flower garden foiled.

The five young men met with Nie Huisang to explain their plan. The moment the words came out of Mo's mouth he was already shaking his head, though this time with firm stubbornness and not out of fear.

“Absolutely not,” he insisted. “I've spent years improving the defences around the sacred grounds, I can't just have people march in there and stir up problems.”

“That's why we're asking for your permission and guidance,” Sizhui responded in a similar tone. “Please, Clan Leader Nie, isn't it true that theory isn't everything? If we can get real field research done we can better develop our skills. How can we find a technique to destroy something we're not able to have first-person experience with?”

“First-person experience with the sacred grounds will get you the worst sort of experience,” Huisang warned.

“We'll be careful!”

The leader turned directly to Jin Ling now.“Were you being careful when you broke into the sacred tombs and got yourself trapped in a wall?”

The younger leader's face coloured. “I-...”

“Bringing up his past mistakes isn't fair. He was young and brash, he didn't have time to worry about consequences. Many boys are like that. He's grown a lot since then, he's more responsible. Anyone can see it.” Sizhui's face was as earnest as his voice.

“Can you say it?” Huisang asked Jin Ling. “Can you say you were foolish and arrogant?”  
His mouth pressed into a tight line, jaw clenched. The other four boys watched him intently. “I was ignorant and did not know what dark techniques the Nie clan used. How could I have suspected such a thing?”

Huisang sighed and Sizhui threw his gaze upwards, as though mentally praying for support.

“Regardless of past mistakes,” Mo interrupted, hoping to get away from this before Jin Ling lost his temper, “If you, or someone in your clan, acts as an escort then we shouldn't have much problem. We don't want to do things without your permission.”

“That sounds like you have something you're not saying.”

Mo shrugged. “I am still likely to do it without your permission. I'm not letting formalities hold me back on my goals.”

Jin Ling gave him a sharp look and Sizhui buried his face in his hands. On the other side of the spectrum, Jingyi was holding back a laugh while Zizhen's eyebrows were raising up to his hairline.

“How could I expect any less?” Huisang sighed and adjusted his sleeves.

“So you'll let us go there?”

“I don't seem to have much of a choice.” Huisang fixed the Mo cultivator with a sharp look. “I'll personally escort you there with my top cultivators. All we're going to do is make sure you're not harmed. Nothing else. I won't put my clan in more danger than they agree to.”

The five nodded in agreement.

“However, I don't want to make a hobby of this. I'll take you once, twice at a push. I'm not making my family's burial grounds a day trip for you.”

“Of course!” Sizhui bowed his head.

“In that case...” Mo thought carefully. “We're going to need to take one of the sabres out of there.”

The other four stiffened. Huisang's icy gaze pierced through Mo.

“You had better have a very good reason.”

“This is just more book research!” Jin Ling griped.

The five friends sat together on a blanket under the bow of a maple tree. Books were piled up around their legs, note pages covered in writing and scribbled out sketches littering the ground. Sizhui had a smear of ink on his nose from scratching it, and Zizhen was happily munching on a snack.

“But now we have a chance to practice something.” Mo thumbed through a book, frowning. “If we can construct even one technique, it won't be wasteful when we get our hands on a sabre.”

“You're optimistic if you think we'll have something perfected by then,” Sizhui mumbled.

“I believe we can do it. Together we accessed secret documents from a clan none of us is a member of – I think we can do anything” Zizhen nodded.

“Well said!”

Zizhen grinned and offered a bite of food to Mo, who ate it from his hand with his eyes still fixed on his notes.

“I've got nothing good. What about you?”

“We develop a barrier around the target to contain the resentful energy until it destroys itself?” Jin Ling suggested.

“Or somehow trap it and have instruments play Cleansing music until it finally settles? We could all take turns playing. Though I'm not sure how long it would take...” Sizhui shrugged.

“Lets put a pin in those,” Mo said, already feeling like they were at a dead end. “Jingyi?”  
“You tell me. I feel like I'm just making up things now.” He handed over his notes.

Mo flicked through them, seeing lots of scribbles and crossed out plans. His heart sank.

“Hey, what was that?” Zizhen reached over and pulled a page out of the stack. “This looks promising.”

Mo glanced at it. “...A condensed attack with Cleansing music? Would that work?”  
Jingyi shrugged and sighed. “Music is always about the notes and the melody, but also intent. You're supposed to play all the notes in order, but who says you have to start from the beginning. Maybe you could... Fold it? Layer it?” He shook his head. “I don't know. It started coming together but then I lost it. This sort of thing isn't done.”

“No. It's not.” Mo set the page down and grabbed a clean one, starting to copy up and build on what the Lan cultivator had already done. “But we aren't doing what is done. We're doing what needs to be done. And I think we're onto something with this.”

“That array... This would take a lot of energy to do. It could be dangerous if done wrong.” Sizhui's brow was knitted so tightly in the middle it looked like a bunched curtain.

“Then we'll have to eat well and rest up the day before. Once we get this right we'll only have one chance to prove ourselves!”

The other four nodded and crowded around the page, putting in their ideas.


	9. Bargain: Techniques and Oaths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *skims vaguely over things I don't know how to explain*

The five were escorted to the Nie burial grounds by the sect leader himself and a large group of his best cultivators. While Huisang had been more understanding in engaged with their plan, the rest of the clan were far less happy with it. Huisang kept much of his complaints to himself, only his face reflecting his distaste for the situation. His cultivators openly criticized the decision.

“This is a horrendous disrespect to the ancestors,” one loudly whispered to the sect leader. “You can't possibly allow outsiders to defile the sacred grounds.”

“It's not too late to chance your mind, Sect Leader,” another whispered.

“I've made a decision,” he replied, calmly and gracefully.

The two cultivators backed off, looking unnerved.

It struck Mo that, had he not played the fool for so many years, Nie Huisang could have become a very well-respected leader. Despite years of surprising people with clear speeches and calm-headed diplomacy, the leader still had the reputation of being spineless and indecisive. Perhaps Huisang stood to gain more from this agreement than he let on.

They wandered through the dense forest, watching how the mist gathered and curled between the trees. Shadowy creatures passed by them, or at least appeared to. Though the five kept on their guard, ready to fight any unexpected monsters, the Nie clan showed no signs of concern. The group passed through untouched.

The round stone buildings appeared from the mist first, great shadows of darkness around them. The pathway became clear, leading through a stone gateway and past the engraved tablet. Here the resentful energy hung in the air like gas.

“What's wrong?” Sizhui's quiet, gentle voice sounded.

“Nothing.” Jin Ling was defensive as ever.

The others turned to see the young Jin Leader hanging back, taking half steps. His face was pale, mouth pressed tight and jaw clenched. His fists were balled at his waist.

“Are you scared?” Zizhen asked.

“Don't be so ridiculous!” Jin Ling snapped back.

“Don't worry, I'm not going to let any of you get trapped this time,” Huisang called back.

“Ah, that's right. Didn't you get stuck inside the walls here? You're scared of this place, aren't you?” Jingyi kept his tone fairly factual, but the teasing was self-evident.

“How dare-!” Jin Ling began loudly, face red. A bird took off overhead and he flinched, going silent immediately.

“Don't worry, we're all together, and as Sect Leader Nie said, none of us is going to be in any danger.” Sizhui smiled reassuringly and hooked an arm around Jin Ling's. “You have more experience with this place, so you can keep an eye out for us too.”

Jin Ling turned his head away and stuck his nose in the air. “Of course I can.”

The other three glanced at each other and quickly huddled close to disguise their laughter.

“You have to admit,” Zizhen said when they calmed down, “this is really scary!”

“I wouldn't have stuck around if I knew this was what I'd be doing,” Jingyi agreed, “no offence to you, Young Master Mo, but this is a lot more than I had expected.”

“Are you really not scared at all?” Zizhen asked, eyes wide.

“I guess it's a bit scary, but you guys are all stronger than me,” Mo explained, “so I know that if anything happens, you guys will handle it fine, or if not, then the Nie clan will.”

Jingyi blinked. “You're relying a lot on others.”

Mo shrugged. “I'd do this on my own too if I had to. Then I think I would be scared.”

“Have you done a lot of scary things on your own?” Zizhen asked.

“I broke into Cloud Recess. That was definitely the most terrifying. The punishments there...” Mo shuddered.

Jingyi nodded. “Now I think about it, that was the most reckless thing you've done.”

“Cloud Recess is very beautiful. If I thought I could get away with it, I might sneak in just to see the beautiful waterfalls and mountains.” Zizhen got a lazy smile on his face.

“You're always thinking too romantically.” Jingyi tutted. “He broke in to harass Sect Leader Lan.”

“Huh?”

“I just had some questions about Jin Guangyao. It was nothing.” Mo waved a hand. “Besides, that's in the past. Now I'm here with all of you, and we're going to do something no one else has. They'll write songs about us.”

“Oh, I like the thought of that!” Zizhen grinned.

“In the Lan sect we're taught not to seek fame and to be humble.”

“You still want some recognition though, right?”

Jingyi shrugged and gave a quick nod.

“If you're done chattering, it's now safe to enter,” Huisang called down to them. He was standing at the top of the mound beside an opening in one of the round buildings.

“Let's go!” Mo jerked his head and hurried up to the entry, disappearing inside.

The rest followed after, nervously peering through the doorway before entering. Jin Ling hung back for a second, detaching himself from Sizhui. Huisang gave him a small smile and nod of his head. Sizhui gestured for him to follow, smiling as pleasantly as ever. With a deep breath, the Jin Clan Leader followed after.

It was dark at first, but the Nie cultivators quickly lit the fires. The circle of coffins around the carved array had a heavy air to them. Once they were all in, the Nie clan gathered to bow before the coffins.

“We apologise for this disruption,” Nie Huisang spoke. “Forgive us for what we must do. The safety and survival of the clan must come first.”

The other five quickly hurried to bow as well, not wanting to appear disrespectful.

The Nie clan stood up once more, all sombre faces. Huisang turned to the five young men. “You may begin.”

Sizhui and Mo immediately began to examine the space, Sizhui bending to run his fingers along the coffin edges while Mo crawled around on his knees to get a better view of the carvings. The other three glanced around, but stayed within the reach of the Nie cultivators. Jin Ling especially had made sure he was as far from the walls and as close to other people as he could manage.

“This one,” Sizhui decided after some poking around.

“Why that one?” Zizhen asked.

Jingyi joined Sizhui to investigate. “It's currently the most unstable, but since it's only in this first room it can't be one of the strongest.”  
Sizhui nodded. “We should be able to handle it. The only issue will be removing it safely. I think it would be best if Jingyi and I play cleansing music until we're in a safe place to attempt our plan.”

“We will bind it, but we can only do so much. We must move quickly,” Huisang warned.

The five lined themselves up to push a coffin open. Inside the sabre lay, unassuming and still. The Nie cultivators used sheets to lift it out and bundled the sabre up, none wishing to lay a hand on it. It was bound with spiritual rope and carried between four of the cultivators, suspended between them. Jingyi and Sizhui took up position on either side of the sabre and readied their instruments.

The moment they stepped out of the building it became clear that the unstable sabre was far more malicious than it let on. The resentful energy seeped out from it, giving them all headaches. Sizhui and Jingyi worked hard to combat it as best as they could, cleansing with all their hearts.

“We have to move faster. Come on!” Huisang broke out into a light run, sleeves flying behind him. It was a surprise to see the normally reclined character move so swiftly, but his light frame kept him nimble. His cultivators sped up as well, matching their steps to keep the sabre as steady as they could manage.

Sizhui and Jingyi were able to keep up running, but their music became slightly uneven, and they had to keep running ahead to stop and play a chunk of music, then run ahead again when the cultivators with the sabre caught up. The other three friends hurried along behind, keeping out of the way.

Zizhen's foot caught something and he fell, twisting to protect his face and hit the ground on his side. He cried out in pain, sitting up to find his leg twisted at an awkward angle. The others stopped to look back at him.

“What's happened?” Huisang asked, concern and worry making him snap.

“Go ahead, I'll look after him!” Mo called out, crouching down at his friend's side.

Huisang nodded and gestured for everyone to continue.

“I'm fine, I think it's just a sprain.” Zizhen reached over to rip up the root that had wound over the front of his foot.

“You won't be able to run back on that. Even if I supported you we'd be moving pretty slow.”

“Oh, I'll manage, we have to worry about getting to the others quickly more than my ankle.” He tried to stand and hissed in pain.

“Here!” Mo crouched down and held his arms out backwards. “Get on.”

“Can a self-respecting man allow himself to be carried...?”

“Can a self-respecting man let his friends wait while he puts his pride first before an important mission? Besides, what sort of person would I be not to offer this?”

Zizhen laughed. “Okay. Fine.”

“Honestly,” Mo complained as Zizhen crawled onto his back, “good family cultivators like you worry far too much about what your fathers say about the world than what you have learned about it.”

“Really?” Zizhen's voice was at Mo's ear. “Since meeting the others, and Wei Wuxian, I've been proud of myself for not following all my father's orders. Maybe it's easier to stand up to someone who's in front of you than someone in your head.”

“If you've never needed to before, why would you?” Mo made sure the other was secure on his back, then began to jog after the group.

“I think I'm learning a lot from being with you.”

“Yeah? You're going to learn a lot more very soon.”

They all arrived back in one piece, the Twin Pearls looking clean and neat despite how frazzled they were. Nie Huisang had arranged for a special sealed room to be prepared and the sabre was brought inside and set down in the centre of the array. They all gathered inside, the cleansing music still playing until the door was finally shut and secured. The music stopped, and the cultivators began to undo the bindings on the sabre.

“One this opens, it will be extremely difficult to control,” Huisang warned. “Are you absolutely ready?”

Mo nodded. “As we'll ever be.”

“We're all together, we can do this!” Zizhen cheered from where he'd been sat on the floor.

“Prepare your instruments, everyone,” Sizhui reminded, clinging to his guqin.

Everyone else readied themselves. Jingyi already had his own in his sleeve, as all the Lan cultivators did, but Huisang had ended up providing the rest of the instruments. Due to his fondness for music and arts, there was a number to choose from, which meant that Jin Ling and Zizhen were able to show off their musical skills while Mo struggled to keep up. It had been surprising enough to see Jin Ling play so beautifully on the qin xiao, but when Zizhen had shown mastery of the erhu they had all stared in wonder.

Now, gathered around and ready after practising and practising, Mo was starting to think his amateur attempts at music on the dizi were not good enough. Maybe this was what being a professional musician felt like.

The fabric fell away from the sabre and the sword lifted itself into the air. The five steadied themselves and, as they had practised, began to play their parts.

At first, it didn't seem to be working, and the sabre struggled and swung in violent waves towards them. Sizhui glanced at Jingyi, then the two looked at the others. They all gave each other a nod and put every reserve of energy and strength they had into the music. Mo played like he'd been playing his whole life.

The burst of cleansing music, layered on layers, broke down the sabre's resentful energy, targeting it at its very core. The malicious powers were totally nullified, and the sabre fell to the ground with a clang.

There was a cheer from the other cultivators, but Mo missed whatever Huisang was saying. The world was blurry, his head hurt. Everything spun, then twisted sideways. He blacked out.

Mo came to several days later, feeling like he'd been hit by a carriage. Someone was speaking and he groaned, still trying to get his bearings. He was in a bed, he wasn't actually injured, just very tired, and he was thirsty.

He coughed and whoever was next to him moved, letting some light get in. He realised he was actually surrounded by people.

“Here.” A soft familiar voice.

A cool cup was pushed into his hands. He lifted it to his mouth, a delicate touch helping him, and drank until it was empty. He coughed and blinked several times until his vision cleared.

He was in the guest room Huisang had provided him, and surrounded by his friends. Sizhui and Zizhen sat at the front either side of his head the others gathered around.

“How long was I out?” He asked, voice gravelly.

“Not much longer than us,” Zizhen replied.

“It's been three days since we cast the nullification. It was a total success, according to Sect Leader Nie,” Sizhui added.

“He said you might not wake up for a while longer, we thought you'd be out forever.” Jingyi was sincerely worried for once.

“We woke up this morning. It hasn't been that long. They were worried for nothing.” Jin Ling sniffed. He didn't look his usual grand self with his hair down and in casual indoor wear. His unkempt appearance betrayed his lofty words.

“We're just glad you're okay.” Zizhen smiled.

“How about you, your leg...”

“Healed up. Like I said, it was nothing.”

Mo nodded and flopped back on the bed, tired again. “We can't let that technique get out. It's too dangerous. If that was used by the wrong person it could be really dangerous.”

Sizhui nodded. “We've seen a lot lately. In theory, it could be used to nullify protection barriers and spirit wards.”

“We've already promised Sect Leader Nie that we'd share our findings with him,” Zizhen pointed out.

“We'll just give him the notes, but not the technique. He can develop his own techniques from that,” Jin Ling said.

“I don't know who we could trust with it, but I don't want to risk picking and choosing. I trust you four, and no one else.” He held a hand out. “Make an oath with me. We won't share the secret of this technique with anyone else.”

The others hesitated a second, then Zizhen reached over and took Mo's hand. “We won't share the secret of this technique.”

“What happens if we break the oath?” Jin Ling asked.

“You're marked as an oath breaker. It's a technique we had in the Mo clan for a while to ensure no one would gossip about Xuanyu to outsiders. If you can be trusted, it's not a problem.”

“Of course I can be trusted.” Jin Ling took their hands. “We won't share the secret of this technique.”

The Twin Pearls looked at each other, nodded, then added their hands onto the pile, speaking the agreement as well.

The oath magic bound around their hands, glowing and strong, then wiggled into their skin like worms. All of them were left with a faint pattern, like a birth mark, wrapped around their sword-hand wrists. They stared at them in silence.

“Is anyone else starving or just me?” Mo asked after a long pause.

The others laughed.


	10. Bargain: Relations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is that a name reveal i see? very cool of me

The banquet was a huge event that everyone else was prepared for except Mo Clan. Huisang had invited the Mo Clan Leader and whoever else he saw fit to join the event, as well as the leaders of as many influential clans as he could reach. Most of these leaders already knew each other well, and so chatted easily and enjoyed themselves. The Mo Clan sat in the position of honoured guests with bemused expressions on their faces. The Young Master of his clan was amazed to see that his father had taken the offer up. Though the leader, he was not in his best health and had to lean close whenever someone spoke to listen, then would reply in strained, slow words. The Mo Clan were street cats in a den of noble tigers.

“How wonderful you could all join me here,” Huisang addressed the crowd of clans, beaming. “As much as I enjoy a celebration and a gathering, it seems like we always need an excuse, no?”

There was some good-natured laughter.

“Well, luckily one presented itself. A talented young cultivator from the Mo Clan, along with his friends from Lan Clan, Ouyang Clan and the Jin Clan Sect Leader have all provided great help to the Nie Clan so that we may preserve our heritage and ensure a safer life for those in the Unclean Realm.”

There was some general if uncertain clapping and cheers. The Mo Clan especially looked utterly baffled.

“And especially let us celebrate yet another falsehood being unveiled, that Mo Xuanyu did not disgrace his clan, and that Jin Guangyao had fabricated the claims for his own gain.”

There was a louder response this time.

“Let us be rid of all of his influence! We must bring about justice for all his victims!” Clan Leader Yao shouted.

There was a big cheer from the others. There were only two unsmiling faces in the gathering: Jiang Chen and Lan Xichen. The Jiang Clan Leader was instead watching the doorway, as though expecting a late guest to arrive, with a scowl on his face. In contrast, the Lan Clan Leader looked mournful and seemed to be miles away in his own head. It would be easy to mistake him for being alone, were it not for the presence of Sizhui and Jingyi at his sides. Used to the temperaments of these two, the other leaders busied themselves with socialising and drinking. Jin Ling especially was boasting to anyone who would listen that he and his friends were doing more for the development of cultivation than anyone else.

Sizhui and Jingyi sat neatly, keeping up their image, but like Clan Leader Jiang glanced at the door now and then. Jingyi caught Sizhui's eye and they leaned back to communicate behind the leader's back.

“Hanguan Jun?” Jingyi mouthed.

Sizhui shrugged.

“Does Wen Ning know where Senior Wei is?” Jingyi had to gesture a lot to ask this silently.

Sizhui shook his head.

“If you're wondering as to Hanguan Jun and Wei Wuxian's whereabouts,” Nie Huisang said, having silently approached while the two were secretly talking, “none of us has been able to get in touch with them. If the reputation is true, we'd need to have trouble happen for them to appear, and I'd rather avoid that.”

“Haha,” Sizhui laughed awkwardly, “of course. I suppose we were just hopeful.”

“Isn't it strange for no one to have seen them in so long? Shouldn't we be worried?” Jingyi asked with furrowed brows.

“My brother is well, I am certain of it,” Xichen said calmly. “And if he is well, then so is We Wuxian. Things like this are no longer of interest to them.”

“Of course.” Sizhui nodded, feeling a little let down.

“Hmph. Wuxian has never had any sense of social decency. Why, if anything he has more reason to be here than anyone else. Isn't he also to blame for the suffering of the Mo Clan? Shouldn't he apologise too?” Jiang Chen had joined them now, glaring at no one in particular.

“I suppose it might be uncomfortable for him to appear, as he now has the body of one of their own. Some might find it... A little upsetting.” Huisang met Sizhui's eyes, then looked away.

“Uncle,” Jin Ling stepped in, “Why don't you talk to them? They would appreciate it, and they might be good allies to have.”

“Tch.” Jiang Chen finished his drink and refilled it. “As usual I will be cleaning up after Wuxian's mess.” He strode off towards where the Mo Clan were gathered.

“Was that wise?” Sizhui asked.

“Look at that old man, your uncle might frighten him to death!” Jingyi added.

“Yes, I should step in and make sure nothing unfortunate happens.” Huisang had an amused expression on his face and followed after the other man.

“Oh, maybe we should go and help our friend out,” Sizhui suggested.

“Yeah, before he says something bad.” Jingyi nodded.

The twin pearls stood, bowed to Lan Xichen, and hurried off after the two older men. Jin Ling and Xichen were left on their own, and for a moment the younger considered going with his friends to watch the encounter unfold. A quick glance at the Lan Sect Leader made him pause, however.

Lan Xichen had once been the friendly, charming, smiling twin jade who greeted everyone and made friends easily. Since Guangyao's death, he had become reclusive, quiet and solemn. Many chose not to spend time with him. If Jin Ling left, no one else would take the time to give the leader company.

In the past, arrogance and self-sustainability had got Jin Ling through the early trials of being a leader, he could shout and push away anyone who challenged him. Now he was older, and diplomacy mattered. Sometimes being a leader wasn't leading an army, sometimes it was showing acts of alliance.

He sat down at the older man's side and filled his own drink, then topped up the other's tea. “Sizhui and Jingyi are very skilled cultivators. They had an invaluable contribution to what we did,” he said.

A smile tugged at Xichen's lip, only for a faint second. “How nice to hear you speak highly of them.”

“I may not say these things, but I think highly of all my friends. Were it not for the temperaments of the Lan Clan, I would be in a much more difficult situation.”

“You can rely on your own merits for getting this far.”

Jin Ling shook his head. “I'm not a child any more. I know when I have to credit others for their help.” He drank slowly. “They're good people. You've taught them well.”

Xichen made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a huff, not bitter enough to scoff. “They learn it all from my brother.”

“They look up to you both equally.”

Xichen didn't reply and instead drank his tea.

“I have a lot to thank them for. I have a lot to thank you for.”

“What is it you're after, Sect Leader Jin?” Xichen asked. “Praises like this are rare from you.”

Jin Ling frowned. “Must I have a motive?”

Xichen waited patiently.

“I really have no other intentions.” He put his drink down. “You shouldn't spend so much time alone. You're welcome in Jin clan any time. I don't see why any close relations between our clans should end sourly.” He cleared his throat and turned his head away. “Besides, Sizhui and Jingyi clearly miss your company. It's a shame if they're not able to see you often.”

Xichen sighed slowly, though he could see where the younger leader was coming from. “Perhaps you're right. Those two have surprised me with what they've achieved. I hadn't expected so much to happen since I first met that young cultivator.” He managed a weak smile. “I'd like to meet him properly, congratulate him on his work. I've given quite a bad impression before.

“Oh, I'll bring him over.”

“That isn't-”

Jin Ling waved at his group of friends, who had all gathered together at a safe distance and were watching.

With the gesture they all hurried over, the twin pearls and Zizhen ushering Mo to the front. They all bowed to the older sect leader, Mo specifically keeping his eyes down, tense around the shoulders. The twin pearls looked up at Xichen in contrast, eyes wide. He took in the group of young men and suddenly realised he'd completely missed them growing up.

“Well, you've all surprised us with your efforts. Congratulations on your success, you deserve this celebration.”

The young men glowed with pride.

“You especially,” he looked down at Mo. “I dismissed you before, but you've achieved your goals anyway. I owe you an apology. You've impressed me.”

Mo's face went pink. “No, I recognise that I behaved out of line. I shouldn't have broken in.”

“We know to keep a better eye on our belongings now.” Sizhui glanced at Jingyi and grinned.

“By the way, I have noticed that everyone seems to address you by your family name,” Xichen continued. “Might I know your name?”

The other four crowded in on Mo, eyes wide and curious.

“Right, we're all friends, we should address each other as friends!” Sizhui said. “You can call me Lan Yuan! You've already been calling Jin Ling by his name, so we should be able to be more casual with each other.”

“Oh. Uh...” He cleared his throat, nervous under the staring eyes. “It's Jun. I haven't had friends outside of the clan before. So, Mo Jun is fine.”

“Would A-Jun be acceptable?” Xichen asked, smiling.

Mo Jun's face heated up. “Mo Jun is fine!”

“Well, Mo Jun, it's a good name. Be proud of it.”

“Of course,” Mo Jun mumbled back, “thank you.”

“So, what is your plan now? I expect you'll be night hunting together and building bridges between clans,” Xichen asked.

“We have bigger plans than that!” Jin Ling puffed his chest out.

“...Hm?”

“Our Mo Jun is going to use what we learned to destroy the remains of the Tiger Seal and eliminate the resentful energy destroying the land around the cask!”

“Why are you bragging for me? I can speak for myself.”

“You don't do it, though!”

They both shut up when they saw Xichen's expression. He had gone an unhealthy pale shade, eyes closed.

“...I can't let you do this.”

Mo Jun took a deep breath in and straightened up. “We will do it regardless.”

“Sect Leader,” Sizhui addressed, bowing respectfully, “it may seem dangerous at first, but isn't it important that someone does something? As a Lan cultivator it feels wrong to leave spirits to seep more resentful energy into the world. Isn't it right to let them rest?”

“We were taught to help and do good,” Jingyi added, “and now we have the technique to do that. Isn't this our duty?”

Xichen clenched his jaw and looked away, closing his eyes again. He swallowed.

Jin Ling watched him quietly, then said, “It's a difficult choice, but it's the right thing to do.”

Xichen stayed silent for a few moments while the young men waited for his response. Eventually, he opened his eyes and looked at them all one by one. “I cannot stop you, but I advise you do not do it.”

“With all respect, we will not be taking that advice,” Mo Jun responded.

“Then I have done all I can.”

“Thank you, Sect Leader Lan.” Mo Jun bowed and the others followed suit.

“I ask one favour.”

“Of course.”

“Do not let anyone die.”

Mo held Xichen's gaze. “If I believed any one of us would not survive, I would not let them stand at my side.”

The other four beamed.


	11. Companions: The Old Gang

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that fact you readers keep coming back to my silly little story about my rude little man is frankly beautiful tbh

Mo Jun was awake earlier than usual. Of course, the Twin Pearls had been awake since the sun had risen, but Zizhen and Jin Ling were still fast asleep, having eaten and drunk themselves into a stupor. The morning light shone attractively over the city, eventually landing in crowns on the hair of the Twin Pearls, who were quietly meditating in the fresh air. Though the two were highly skilled prides of the Lan Clan, Mo Jun could see the microscopic movements Jingyi made as he tried to get more comfortable on the stone floor, and the way Sizhui was rubbing the fabric of his clothes between his fingertips. Pearls had been a good choice of nickname, he thought, because though beautiful and treasured they were also unique and imperfect, crafted from the churning sea.

He had only his parent's recollections of the Wen clan to understand what they had been like, and most of it was bad. Tyrants, violent, arrogant, demanding... But Sizhui was gentle, friendly, understanding and kind. Was this all Lan clan doing? But neither Sizhui nor Jingyi were the perfect representations of Lan gentlemen, not quite as graceful nor politely spoken as the reputation suggested. Though, the Twin Jades had also been flawed. Perhaps most of it was aspirational and preceding reputation than actual reality.

Perhaps that was true of the Wen clan also.

While Mo Jun mused over this, the other two soon woke and joined him. Jin Ling looked more tired than either of them, worn down from keeping up good ties with other clans. His envious looks had burned when Mo Jun and Zizhen had slipped away from the clan leaders and huddled around an empty table to eat and drink in peace. Mo Jun's father had been especially determined to make a good impression on all these powerful men and had spent the night being extremely thankful to anyone who had even looked at Mo Jun on his adventure. Jin Ling had to bear the most of this burden with frequently refilled cups and Leader Mo's extensive humble offerings in return for his actions.

“That was the most fun I've had at any sort of clan gathering,” Zizhen said after while.

“Was it? I think my father made things awkward...”

“Wei Wuxian made things awkward,” Jin Ling grumbled.

“He wasn't there.” Zizhen shook his head. “It's right that neither he nor Jin Guangyao's lies are the Mo Clan's reputation. It was beautiful, I think, that we were all able to see so much history happen peacefully for once.”

“You're not a diarist, are you?” Mo Jun asked.

“No. Do you think I should be one? I've been told I have a very emotional way with words.” Zizhen glowed with pride.

“Why would anyone want to read about you?” Jin Ling scoffed. “Anyway, that wasn't history, it was diplomacy. History is war and battles. Great feats of military strength.”

“You shouldn't speak so wishfully of war.” Sizhui had finished meditating and was approaching, a mild smile on his face.

“Yeah. And the closest thing to a battle you've been in, you cried.” Jingyi joined them at Sizhui's side.

Jin Ling's face went bright red. “I did not!”

“Right. You offered to defend me. That was very noble of you.”

“Even though Sizhui can defend himself. You also stabbed Senior Wei-”

“We've had this discussion many times,” Zizhen interrupted. “Let's not dwell on these complicated memories and instead be grateful that we have all been brought together to see today.”

Mo Jun blinked. “You stabbed Wei Wuxian?”

“He deserved-”

Sizhui intervened with Zizhen this time. “Right, the past is very complicated. And now we have a very important journey ahead of us.”

Mo Jun relented, though he was still curious. “I want to say something first.”

The other young men cooled down to listen.

“I'm really grateful for everyone who helped me. This has been really big for the Mo clan, more than you can understand. You all took a big risk helping me this far, and I owe you all so much for that.” He bowed deeply, then continued. “I recognise you're all putting your own lives aside for my goal, and you don't have to. Feel free to see today as the end of an obligation you may have felt to me or my clan. It's a dangerous road ahead and we all know how powerful the technique is and what damage it can do. If you wish to go home with your family today, please don't feel that I'm holding you back.”

There was a silence just long enough for Jin Ling to take a breath, then shout, “How dare you!?”

Mo Jun flinched.

“Did you already forget I have a stake in this too? That I also want to destroy the amulet? Your selfishness shines through this humble attitude!”

Mo Jun bristled. “I'm trying to be considerate, you bastard!”

“You little-”

“Let's not fight about this,” Sizhui intervened again, holding Jin Ling back. “Mo Jun, we really aren't here out of an obligation to you or anything. We're here because we believe in what you're doing.”  
“If we didn't like you, we'd just do it ourselves. Or wait for Hanguan Jun to deal with it.”  
“Jingyi!”  
“Why are you telling me off? I'm saying I like him!”

“We all mean the same thing, but we're saying it in our own different ways.” Zizhen put a hand on Mo Jun's shoulder and squeezed it. “You're our friend. We want to do this with you. I don't think I'd want to miss out on a minute of this journey with you.”

Mo Jun's face flushed. “Well... Fine. I was just saying. You didn't all have to get so weird about it.”

“We just like you, that's all.” Sizhui smiled. “Come on, we should let our clans and Leader Nie know that we'll be leaving soon.”

Nie Huisang sighed as he looked over the notes they'd given him. “Well, it's not what you promised.”

“No, but unfortunately what we have developed is too dangerous to fall into the wrong hands. And I don't mean you are the wrong hands, but...” Sizhui trailed off.

Huisang smirked. “No. I understand. After all, we know what happens when secret techniques are handed out easily.” His smirk faded and for a moment he looked over than he ever had. Then he came back. “These notes will be enough for us to work something out, anyway. You've done a lot, more than I've been able to on my own.”

“Thank you.” Sizhui bowed and the other young men followed suit.

“I can't stop you from doing something dangerous can I?”  
“No.” Mo Jun shook his head.

“You're like him in some ways.” Huisang gave him a small smile.

Mo Jun swallowed and nodded, unsure how to reply.

“Okay, there's no point keeping you here. Go and say goodbye to your clans, I'll have some provisions packed for you. Don't get yourselves killed out there.”  
The young men all bowed once more, then left the room to find their clans as everyone prepared to go home. Most of them had conveniently gathered in the entryway to say their goodbyes to each other.

“My son, stay safe, I don't want you to get hurt while you run off on your adventures again.” Leader Mo embraced his son tightly.

“Father,” Mo Jun muffled against his shoulder, “I won't get hurt. Please...”

His father stepped away and patted his head. “Ah, I forget you're not my young boy any more. You've grown up into a fine man.”

Mo Jun's face burned.

“Somehow our children surprise us.” Leader Ouyang had joined them. “He has made a good friend of my son. I think together they will become great men.”

“Such kind words.” Leader Mo smiled gratefully.

“Father...” Zizhen mumbled, embarrassed.

“Don't you cause trouble for him,” Leader Ouyang warned.

“I'm not!”

“He really isn't, he's very helpful,” Mo Jun said quickly.

“Then I hope you're not causing problems for your friends,” Leader Mo cut in, “They're all of good blood, you should make sure you're not holding them back.”

“He isn't,” Zizhen reassured, “We all very much enjoy his company.”

“Well..” Leader Mo cleared his throat. “Be good. Stay strong. Come back to us safe.”

“Yes, father.” Mo Jun nodded.

The Mo Clan and Ouyang Clan left together, the two older men talking between them. Mo Jun and Zizhen watched them go, letting out synchronised heavy sighs.

“It's nice to see him make friends, at least,” Mo Jun mumbled.

“My father gets on with people easily, even though a lot of clan leaders are younger than him. He must like having someone his age to talk to.”

“Will we become so tiring when we're old?”

“I hope not.”

They laughed together until a loud huff caught their attention. They turned to see Jin Ling with his arms crossed. He marched over and stood between them, back straight to make himself seem taller than he was.

“You shouldn't speak so badly of your fathers. Be grateful for them.”

“Ah, of course, sorry Jin Ling.” Zizhen bowed apologetically, nudging Mo Jun to do the same.

“With respect, doesn't Leader Jiang count as your father too, since he raised you? You can understand our feelings that way, right?”  
Jiang Chen himself was not too far away, talking with Lan Xichen. A nervous sweat broke out on Jin Ling's brow.

“As if I would say such a thing!” His voice was strained. “I have no complaints, I'm not a child.”

“Oh.” Mo Jun glanced at Zizhen, and they both had to stifle laughs.

They waited until the two clan leaders left until they began speaking again.

“He's my uncle, it isn't the same. You wouldn't get it,” Jin Ling huffed.

“But it's the same feeling for any family member isn't it?” Mo Jun persisted.

“No! Uncles behave differently. The relationship between father and son isn't the same as uncle and nephew, no matter if he raises him or not.”

“Is a father figure much different from an actual father?” Zizhen mused.

“Of course it is!” Jin Ling fumed, then turned to shout, “Sizhui!”

“Yes?” Sizhui walked over with Jingyi at his side, both having bid the Lan clan goodbye.

“You understand. Father figures are simply not the same as fathers!”

Sizhui's smile fell for a brief second, then returned. “Well.. I suppose I don't know the answer. Senior Wei and Hanguan Jun have been my fathers, and both raised me very differently. I suppose you're speaking about your uncle, but I never had an uncle to raise me.”

“Hm.” Jin Ling scowled. “But they should still be more considerate and be grateful for their fathers.”

“That is true... But we should all be grateful for everyone in our lives.”

“What about you, Jingyi? I didn't see your father here,” Zizhen asked.

The other pearl shrugged. “He doesn't travel well. He prefers to read and study things. Mostly my mother raised me and then I was raised with all the other Lan children. I'm not close with my father.”

“Everyone will have different experiences with their parents,” Sizhui reasoned.

“So you consider Wei Wuxian a father figure?” Mo Jun asked.

“Ah, well, you know I'm born Wen clan, so he raised me in the Burial Mounds when I was very small. I don't remember much of it. But since he and Hanguan Jun...” His face went pink.

Mo Jun nodded. “Isn't he also one of your uncles?” He asked Jin Ling.

The leader snorted. “I don't consider him that, my uncle banished him from Jiang clan before I was born.”

“But he would have been... So... If he's sort-of your uncle and sort-of Sizhui's father... Doesn't that make you two sort-of cousins?”

The two made identical horrified expressions.

“Absolutely not!”

“It- it's far more complicated than that-”

“He's not blood-related AND he's banished!”

“Yes, there are no blood relations at all, as I said I hardly remember being raised by him-”

“What a ridiculous thing to suggest!”

Mo Jun blinked. “What's wrong with being cousins? You two are close, aren't you? You could become like brothers if you wanted.”

Jin Ling flinched and Sizhui made a small shudder.

“Somehow it's worse when you say it that way...”  
Mo Jun hummed. “Never mind, then. The air has become weird. I'll drop it.”

“Speaking of cousins, did you get to ask Senior Wen to join us?” Jingyi asked.

“Of course. He's been here the whole time!”

“What-” Mo Jun began to ask, but before he could finish his question Sizhui had gestured with a hand and a second later a body dropped down from the roof. He jumped back, horrified, as the corpse rose from its landing position, chains rattling, eyes white and veins black.

“The... Whole time?” Jin Ling asked, tense.

“I like to keep an eye on him,” Wen Ning explained in his gentle voice, then he quickly hurried to bow to all of them in greeting. “Sorry for startling you!”

Mo Jun stared, the sight of the living corpse before him sending horror crawling up his spine.

“It's nice to finally talk to you. I've kept quite a distance so no one would notice me, but now I can meet you properly. You look a lot like Mo Xuanyu, it's surprising.” He bowed again.

“I...” Mo Jun's skin crawled.

“Now we're all together properly, let's go!” Sizhui grinned.

They travelled by foot this time, not wanting to risk anyone falling with their hangovers and making it much easier for the young men to chat with Wen Ning. Mo Jun hung back, shocked into silence by the familiar way the walking corpse made conversation with the other young men. To his relief, Jin Ling was similarly unwilling to act friendly, and walked beside him with his arms crossed and brow scrunched.

Though this different attitude wasn't totally reassuring. Jin Ling behaved like a man forced to interact with a rival or someone he'd had a serious falling out with, his anger was personal and very human. Mo Jun on the other hand was petrified out of his wits.

Walking corpses did not move like humans. Wen Ning limped along, chains rattling and swinging, his arms stiff. His empty eyes watched the young men as they spoke, nodding stiffly and replying with an expressionless face. Every time one of the others called back and Wen Ning turned to look at Mo Jun, he froze up in terror, barely able to stammer a sentence out.

Thankfully nothing happened during this leg of the journey, and Zizhen stepped back to calm the tense atmosphere between Mo Jun and Jin Ling down. At sun high they reached a lively town.

There was a healthy bustle going on with tradespeople delightedly shouting out their wares and doing repairs on the buildings. Wen Ning took the wide straw hat from his back and pulled it over his head, the brim low enough to hide his face. Though no one needed anything, what with everything Huisang had given them, they looked around at the stalls and chatted amongst themselves. Sizhui found a lantern with rabbits painted on it and pointed it out to Jingyi and the two laughed between themselves.

“Do you like it?” Jin Ling asked.

“Oh, it's just very nostalgic,” Sizhui replied.

“I'll buy it for you if you like it so much.”

“Oh, no, really, it's just a silly memory, I wouldn't have anywhere to put it, anyway.”

“If you don't want it, then fine! But don't go pointing things out then wishing you'd got it later!”

“I won't.”

“They're insufferable,” Jingyi muttered, fleeing to walk with Mo Jun instead.

“What's with those two? I thought they were close, but they still argue.”  
“Everyone argues with Jin Ling. Sizhui just handles him better.”

“Hey, try this, it's good!” Zizhen appeared at Mo Jun's side with a skewer of cooked meats.

Mo Jun held a hand beneath it to catch anything that fell and bit a piece off. “Oh, that is good! But you didn't need to buy it, we have food.”  
“Well, aren't we allowed a treat?”  
“I guess. But there's not enough to share with everyone.”

“We can keep it a secret!”

“Then at least give some to Jingyi.”

“Uh-” Zizhen looked over at him.

Jingyi held a hand up. “I'll pass this time. It turns out you two are also insufferable. I'm going to talk to Senior Wen instead.” He turned away with a huff, about to walk back to where Wen Ning was plodding along and avoiding trouble, then stopped in surprise. “Senior Song!”

The others turned back, eyes wide.

Song Lan was not far off, paying for a stuffed bun. He turned at the sound of his name being called and spotted the group. A handsome smile crossed his face.

“Senior Song!” The group rushed over, leaving Mo Jun and Wen Ning behind. They followed after slowly.

“It's so good to see you again!” Zizhen beamed.

“It's been years, how are you?” Sizhui asked.

He smiled back at them.

“Ah, don't be rude, you know he can't speak!” Jin Ling frowned.

Song Lan made a show of pulling a slate and chalk from his sleeve, then wrote out, “Good to see you again,” on it.

“That must be a bit inconvenient,” Jingyi commented.

Song Lan shrugged.

“Spend some time with us, we should catch up, and we can introduce you to our friend!” Zizhen gestured to Mo Jun, who was awkwardly stood back from the group.

He bowed to the older man.

Song Lan bowed his head back and extended an arm out, gesturing to a nearby restaurant.

They all gathered inside around a table where plenty of food they didn't need was ordered. In a chaotic clamour of voices, the young men all excitedly explained their adventures in Yi City and how they met Song Lan. The man himself didn't have much to say, what with being limited to the slate, but he nodded along. It dawned on Mo Jun that he was sat with not one, but two walking corpses. The young men all ate and chatted excitedly, while the two older, dead men sat without food and listened to the conversation. Mo Jun felt his appetite wane.

“Now we're on an adventure to destroy the remains of the Tiger Amulet,” Jin Ling explained, “but I can't reveal much. Not here.”  
Song Lan frowned and wrote onto the slate. “That is a dangerous task.”

“We're aware, Senior Song,” Sizhui said, “we've developed a good technique, and together we really are quite strong.”

“Lots of the clan leaders already know of our plans and they approve of it,” Jingyi added.

“Well...” Sizhui shrugged a shoulder, “they allow it.”

“I will join you,” Song Lan wrote.

“Are you sure?” Sizhui asked while the others cheered with delight.

Song Lan nodded, then cleared the slate to write, “You will need the expertise. There is strength in numbers.”

“I'm quite relieved, to be honest,” Wen Ning confided, “You're a very skilled fighter, it will make keeping them safe much easier.”

Song Lan smiled.

“This brings back so many memories!” Zizhen, “The Yi City team all back together again!”

“Minus two key players,” Sizhui pointed out.

“We don't need them.” Jin Ling sniffed.

Mo Jun still had no idea what was going on.

They paid for the meal and thanked the owners, then moved on. With the addition of another member, the group felt huge, like a full night-hunting team. Mo Jun hadn't had this much company all at once before and was feeling a little lost. The only normalcy he could get was that the two corpses had decided to walk behind them and talk between them, having apparently not had the chance to be on civil terms before.

“This is all weird, isn't it?” He asked the group. “This isn't how these adventures usually go, right?”  
“I don't think any of us are the right people to ask,” Jingyi replied.

“We only ever seem to have unusual adventures, but that's okay.” Sizhui smiled at him.

“The only person who thinks it's weird is you.” Jin Ling tossed his hair back, nose in the air.

“But weird isn't bad, right?” Zizhen raised his eyebrows. “I'm enjoying it all.”  
“Yeah. I guess it's not bad.” Mo Jun adjusted his bag. “Just weird.”


	12. Companions: Reputation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometimes i write a chapter and pretend it has more meaning than it does

The mish-mash group found an inn to stay for the night. Jin Ling was able to buy up enough rooms for them all to sleep comfortably, the Pearls sharing one room, the corpses sharing another, Zizhen and Mo Jun in the last shared room and Jin Ling on his own. They took their evening meal together in Jin Ling's room, still in the mood to chatter. Wen Ning talked mostly to Song Lan, having not had the chance to do so before when they had been fighting. The Twin Pearls drank a small amount, enough not to make them too intoxicated. Jingyi confessed that they had heard tales of Lan cultivators being slipped a single alcoholic drink and then misbehaving because they were so lightweight, and the two had vowed to ensure they were at least able to keep themselves together after one cup. Despite this, they were both rather giggly.

Jin Ling only became more boastful with alcohol, and since he didn't have much to boast about that didn't involve nearly everyone else at the table, it meant that everyone became a little boastful too. The young men told Mo Jun proudly about monsters they'd hunted down together, ghosts they'd seen, places they'd travelled to. Many of their early ones included Wei Wixuan and Lan Wangji teaching them the ways of the world, and Jingyi made a point to say he was no longer the coward he had been in those days. Sizhui snorted.

When they had told their full of stories they pushed Song Lan to tell his own about his adventures travelling around with the spirits of his departed friends. The poor man could hardly get his words written without the young men asking a thousand questions, but he was able to fill them in on various bad people he'd caught and spirits he'd helped move on.

“You all have such good stories,” Mo Jun mourned, “I haven't done anything big in my life before now. In fact, the most interesting thing that ever happened was when a ghost arm appeared in the village and killed the head family! That was years ago!”

“Ah, that was when it all started for us.” Sizhui nodded. “Thinking about it, all three of us were there at the same time! Maybe we all met for a moment before we even knew each other!”

“Don't say that. We didn't talk to a single Mo Clan person who wasn't head family,” Jingyi tutted. “If we did we wouldn't remember.”

“I'll be much more impressive this time,” Mo Jun promised. “No one is going to forget me as long as they live!”

“I'll remember you because I'll have been pulling your weight and doing all the work,” Jin Ling teased.

“As if! I'll take you on now, just try me!”

Song Lan and Wen Ning glanced at each other as the young men bickered and gave each other quiet, amused smiles.

The Pearls retired to sleep earlier than the rest, who stayed up and chatted and drank a little longer before all of them cheerfully settled down to sleep. Only Mo Jun stayed awake, staring at the ceiling, mind still a cacophony of thoughts that kept him up. Zizhen snoozed gently on the other side of the room, undisturbed by the anxieties and curiosities churning in his room-mates head.

He rolled out of bed and re-dressed himself, thinking a night walk would help clear his mind.

The streets were quiet, only a few stumbling out of bars or on their way home from late work. A handful of beautiful women were hovering on the corner, hoping to attract customers to their workplace, but he paid them no mind. Otherwise, only the flit of bugs under the faint light made any movements. He leaned his head back to look up at the stars.

A man was sitting on the inn roof.

Mo Jun blinked and squinted. It took some time for his eyes to adjust enough for him to recognise Wen Ning, grey skin lined with black veins shining under the moon, the chains about his body reflecting the light like ripples on a lake. Mo Jun glanced around, making sure no one was watching, then silently scaled the building to hop up to the roof as well.

“Why are you up here?” He asked

Wen Ning looked around, surprised. “Oh. Master Mo.” He smiled and nodded his head, then gestured a hand to the view. “I like to keep an eye out.”

Mo Jun sat beside him, tucking his hands under his knees. “You're keeping watch?”

“Yes. But also I just like looking. I was very shy most of my life, and now I don't fit into the world. At night I can just observe it all and enjoy other people's lives, their secrets...” He trailed off. “Ah. It must all sound strange to you.”

Mo Jun hummed. “Everything sounds strange to me. I grew up in a small clan that went often unnoticed. Then we had to keep a low profile after Xuanyu came back. Nothing interesting ever happened until a few years ago. I haven't had a chance to learn what's normal for everyone else and what's actually strange, it's all the same to me.”

“Ah. I can understand that. I grew up very sheltered.” Wen Ning nodded.

They sat in silence for a while, watching people sneak out of houses down the streets or carry mysterious cases. Sometimes a stray dog would appear and snuffle around for scraps from the market.

“What sort of person is Wei Wuxian?” Mo Jun asked.

Wen Ning looked at him. “Why do you ask?”

“The others talk about him. I heard lots of stories, that he was evil and dangerous, that he killed hundreds, that he raised the dead and sent his minions out to possess and seduce people to his evil ways... I guess I always knew some of that was made up but there had to be bits of truth, right? But then all of those guys... They really look up to him, even Jin Ling. And people say everything was just lies. I don't know what to think...”

Wen Ning nodded. “Master Wei is a good person, but he makes decisions people don't understand. He was always kind to me when others weren't, and he brought me back because my sister begged him to. He did everything he could to protect us when the Wen clan were purged. He made an ultimate sacrifice for his brother. But... People didn't understand him, and his mind became more corrupt with time, he scared them, he did bad things out of anger.” Wen Ning sighed, but brightened up a bit. “Being reborn was a new chance for him. He's clean of the bad effects of demonic cultivation. He amended his mistakes. He gave me a chance to improve myself, and find my missing family. Because of him, the Wen Clan ways are preserved, even if only through A-Yuan and I. I believe that even when he makes mistakes or acts arrogantly, he wants to be good. He wants to do good more than anything.”

Mo Jun listened, watching him. Wen Ning's sincere voice, the way his body language changed, how in awe of Wuxian he was told him that the man wasn't lying for his benefit. “So... He isn't using my cousin's face for evil, at least.”

Wen Ning shook his head quickly. “Please be assured, he may seem like a dark and mysterious person but he really is just trying to do the right thing. He isn't the monster the stories tell.”

“But he did raise the dead...”

“Yes. He's... Unconventional.”

Mo Jun sighed and rubbed his face. “I guess I trust you and my friends more than I trust rumours and scary stories people tell to children.”

Wen Ning smiled.

“Wei Wuxian... Does he know that Xuanyu was a cut-sleeve?”

Wen Ning blinked. “I... Ah, I think many people became aware of it...”

“Does it bother him that Xanyu had enjoyed men?”

Wen Ning had a way of looking very embarrassed without being able to blush. He wriggled where he sat and looked around like he was after an escape. “That... Is a private matter, I think.”

Mo Jun tilted his head. “Huh?”

“I... I think you are better knowing you don't need to worry about Wei Wuxian and Mo Xuanyu any longer. He's a good man, and you've repaired your cousin's reputation well.”

Mo Jun sighed and nodded. “You're right. Thank you for this, I think it helped my mind a lot.” He stood and brushed himself down. “I'm going back to sleep. I don't know if you need rest, but... You should try to get some rest anyway.” He bowed his head and quickly made his way back down into the inn.

Instead of finding sleepy, empty hallways he instead found his group of friends all wandering around, peering through gaps in doors and out windows. Zizhen hurried to him as soon as he spotted him, gripping his shoulders.

“You're here, thank goodness!” He whispered. “Everyone, he's back!”

The others rushed over, crowding the young man. He raised his hands to make some space between them. “What's happened? Why are you all up?”

“Zizhen woke us because you weren't in the room,” Jin Ling complained. “No one could find you, we thought you had been kidnapped!”

“Keep your voice down,” Sizhui whispered. “We were worried you might have sneaked off on your own. Where were you?”

“I was talking to Senior Wen outside,” He admitted sheepishly. “I couldn't sleep because I was nervous, so he was helping me clear my worries.”

They all sighed in relief.

“At least no one was hurt.” Jingyi gave him a tired smile.

“Honestly, I'm also very nervous.” Zizhen fidgeted with his hair, which like the others was loose and falling about his face. “This is a big thing we're doing, it's easy to be worried about it.”

“I'm terrified.” Jingyi said this frankly without any shame.

“Don't be so cowardly.” Jin Ling sniffed. “Though I admit it's a daunting task...”

“How about we all share a room tonight?” Sizhui suggested. “If we're all together it will fight off the nerves!”

“There's no way we're going to fit into one of those small rooms. Stay in mine, it's the biggest.” Jin Ling crossed his arms.

“Let's go get our bedding!” Zizhen hooked an arm around Mo Jun's and grinned.

The young men all divided up to grab their things, then regrouped in Jin Ling's room to settle back down for the night. It was the first time Mo Jun had slept in such a big group like this, but he found as he watched Zizhen snooze happily only a foot away from him that it was a very soothing feeling.

Song Lan arose with the sun and met with Wen Ning outside to watch the morning world come alive. As the people began to wake up, Song Lan returned back into the inn to check on the young cultivators. He first knocked on the door of the Twin Pearls' room but received no response. He opened the door and found the room empty.

They must already be eating, he thought, and continued to Zizhen and Mo Jun's room. Here too he found empty beds. In fact, with no bed sheets or anything! A worry began to brew in him – what if something had happened?

He rushed to Jin Ling's room, hand on his sword, raring up to hunt the missing cultivators down and fight whoever got to them but was stopped in his tracks. In the middle of the room at his feet all the young men lay piled up on their bedding and cuddled together. Even the two Lan cultivators were sleeping past their usual waking hours. He smiled down at the young men and decided to get them food himself, giving them a little longer to lie in.


	13. Awakening the Dead: The Tiger Amulet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> part of me wants to update this on a different day but I'm also like...we're over halfway there, you know?

Fed, cleaned, redressed and tidied up, the crew of five cultivators and two walking corpses travelled out of the town. Song Lan acquired them some shovels that he had paid a worker handsomely for, sparing them the struggle of using their swords if it came to it. Mo Jun had got used to the strange company and was able to chat with his new friends without becoming uncomfortably fixated on the grey shadows around their eyes and the black veins stretching up their necks. Waling did mean he had the excuse to keep his eyes forwards, though.

The conversation slowly dried up as they got closer to the tomb. Due to the danger it posed inside the town on the old brothel site, it had been moved further out and walled off. The land here had become barren, the few remaining trees shrivelled and bare of leaves. Dry earth was lifeless underfoot, not even a weed clinging on. Even the sky had gone dark and clouded.

Despite talk of it being heavily guarded, hardly anyone was in the area. Only one unfortunate guard stood at the great doors, clutching a sword. He relaxed when the group came closer, recognising the clan robes. There probably weren't any other groups walking around like theirs.

“Leader Jin!” The Guard bowed to Jin Ling, then as an afterthought greeted the rest of them.

“All of us are entering. You should have had a message from Leader Nie saying we would come.” He lowered his voice to mutter to himself. “Not that I should need permission.”

“R-right! Yes, of course.” The guard lowered his sword and put a hand on the door. He glanced back at the group with a nervous expression, then mumbled something. An array appeared on the lock, glowing and twisting, then it disappeared. He pushed the door open. “Quickly!”

They rushed in one at a time, scattering into the large walled space. The moment the last person stepped in, the door slammed shut and sealed behind them. Dust rose up in a cloud at their feet.

The area inside appeared at first just to be a square of dark earth. Sizhui crouched down to press his fingers to the ground, then pulled it away with the expression of someone who'd drunk sour milk. There were stains on his fingertips like scorch marks.

“The resentful energy had poisoned this place. It's not like anything I've seen before.”

“It's worse than what we saw at the Nie Clan burial grounds.” Jin Ling drew his sword in anticipation.

“Are we sure we're ready for this?” Zizhen asked them all, voice shaking.

“We can't turn back now, can we?” Jingyi snapped at him, eyes equally frightened.

“We can do it.” Mo Jun took a breath and straightened himself up. “I know we can.”

“Young masters.” Wen Ning approached them, having walked a circuit of the ground while Song Lan looked at the middle. “We've found where it is buried. We're ready to dig it up if you are.”

The young cultivators all looked at Mo Jun.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Yes, we are ready.”

Song Lan joined them and held his sword out to carve into the ground. “The resentful will become stronger when we unearth the tomb. Be prepared.”

They all nodded.

As a group they gathered around the area where the tomb was buried and began digging. Every time a shovel hit the earth it let out yet more resentful energy, like gas escaping a chamber. More than once someone had to stop and hold their head to clear their thoughts before continuing. The two corpses made the most progress, and soon the cultivators had to step back to let them do the work.

“It's like a headache that's turned my brain into solid iron,” Sizhui moaned.

“Maybe it's just last night's drink.” Jingyi couldn't even muster a joking tone.

No one laughed.

In an attempt to clear the air a bit, Sizhui pulled his guqin out and began to play Clarity. Jingyi joined in shortly after, helping their minds. The group were in a small bubble of safety for the time being, though the low-level radiation of resentful energy still lingered on them.

“We've got it!” Wen Ning called, tapping something hard with his shovel.

They hurried over to help scrape away the last of the earth until the massive container was revealed. Every inch of it was carved with seals, though it was heavy with dark power. They could practically see a black smog rising from it.

Wen Ning and Song Lan reached down to pull it out. Their combined strength made it easier, though it was still heavy and cumbersome. The container was much larger than a normal coffin and was made of thick stone.

The smog of resentful energy encircled the two corpses, making the black veins on their body stretch out, darker and broader than before. Their eyes, though usually dull, became unfocused. Both of them strained, brows pinching and jaws clenched. Song Lan hissed through his teeth as he fought to keep control and Wen Ning shuffled his feet several times, becoming antsy and unstable.

“The evil power is affecting them!” Sizhui cried. “We have to do something!”

“Hang on, if we play Clarity now we won't be strong enough for when we need to use the secret technique!” Jingyi warned.

“Well, we can't do nothing!”

Wen Ning choked out a sound as if he was trying to tell them something, but he was losing control of himself. His lips twitched and hands scratched against the container. Song Lan looked like a man drowning, breathless and choking, eyes wide and mouth open.

“We don't have long until they lose control, we can't hope to fight both of them off and destroy the amulet!” Jin Ling shouted, drawing his sword. “We'll have to defeat them and come back healed, or use clarity and come back without them. We have no choice!”

“You're telling us to retreat, oh Leader of the Jin Clan?” Mo Jun shouted.

“I'm telling you to survive!”

“We must make a decision, fast!” Zizhen cut between them before a fight broke out.

“I can't point my blade against a friend.” Sizhui reached into his sleeve once more. “We must calm them and retreat. There's no other way.”

“It might be harder than that.” Mo Jun eyed the feral looks on the two fierce corpses.

“I'd rather give my all saving my friends than hurt them.”

Just as the Twin Pearls were pulling their instruments out once more, a single, clear note cut through the air. Immediately the two corpses stilled, eyes still hazy but calm now. The smog of resentful energy faded, taking with it the young men's headaches. They turned to see a single white figure stood on the wall, playing.

“Sect Leader Lan!” The Twin Pearls cried out in delight.

“He's here! Why?” Jin Ling stared in awe, white robes reflected on his dark eyes.

Lan Xichen played his xiao with the natural confidence and skill of someone who had done it all his life. Liebing made a pleasant tune that cleansed the surrounding resentful energy and brought the two corpses back to themselves. Wen Ning and Song Lan blinked at each other, as though having woken from nightmares.

The container was pulled out and set down. The two men stared at it, the slightest hint of nervousness around their faded eyes. It had a heavy weight of resentful energy around it, but thanks to Xichen's playing it was cleared enough not to affect anyone.

“I'll count down,” Wen Ning said.

Song Lan nodded.

“Three... Two... One!” He and the other man yanked at the solid stone lid.

The cultivators all gathered around to watch as the lid was dragged off and dropped back into the hole. It made a horrible scraping sound and landed with a heavy thud. Dark power burst out from inside like a stench and they all stepped back until it had been cleansed enough to approach again.

Inside lay the coffin in which the bottling bodies and spirits of Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao were trapped, covered in a thousand talismans to seal it, surrounded by arrays and seals all painted on the inside of the container. On top, a small box with a seal carved onto it and a single talisman stuck on its opening.

“There it is,” Jin Ling said, breaking their quiet, “we must destroy it.” He put his hand into the container.

“Wait!” Mo Jun grabbed his wrist. “I'll do it.”

“Why?”

“If it's become more powerful in here, if it is so dangerous, it shouldn't be held by someone who has the power to do evil things with it – even if they don't mean to.”  
Jin Ling pressed his lips in a tight line and held Mo Jun's gaze. They had a silent battle of wills through intense stares until Jin Ling relented.

“Fine then. I know none of you would be able to take me on.” He withdrew his hand.

“Are you sure this is safe?” Sizhui asked.

“No.” He took the box out.

“What if it does corrupt you?” Zizhen asked. “How will we help you destroy it?”  
He smiled. “You guys will know what to do. I believe in you.”

Not letting anyone else get a word in, he ripped the talisman off and stuck his thumbnails into the seam. With a tug, he pulled the box open, exposing the re-constructed Tiger Amulet. It was smaller than he expected and fairly bland. If he had seen it on the floor, he might have assumed it was junk.

The only thing that betrayed its immense power was the way it drew him to it - like the whole world was being sucked into its dark, shining metal. It radiated power, like metal radiating heat under the sun, but he felt no fear of it. Instead, it seemed to welcome its rescuer.

“Mo Jun,” Zizhen tried again, “maybe this isn't a good idea.”

“Trust me,” Mo Jun said. “It's fine.”

He turned the box over and dropped the amulet into his open palm.


	14. Awakening the Dead: Destruction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> every chapter i post is one week further away from the last time i engaged directly with the canon plot and it shows

The moment the Tiger Amulet made contact with his skin, Mo Jun felt its immense power burst through him like a dark tidal wave crashing against a fishing boat. He staggered, the world twisting out of control. His insides shook like something had gripped his inner core and twisted it.

He could hear someone calling his name, both too close and too far to know who it was. There was a thick, bitter taste in his mouth, coating his tongue, spilling over his lips. The edges of his vision were red, everything between foggy and unclear. Something pounded in his ears, roaring like a storm.

He raised his head, blinking through the red mist.

Jin Ling sneered down at him. “See! You're too weak to do anything!”

Mo Jun's jaw clenched.

“You're a disgrace to cultivation. Pathetic.”

In a second Mo Jun's sword was in his hand. He ripped it from its sheath and slashed at the clan leader, spitting out a bitter mouthful. His blade cut through empty air, meeting only the echo of Jin Ling's laughter.

“He shouldn't have left the clan.”

Mo Jun whipped around to see Jingyi and Sizhui looking at him with disgusted expressions.

“You're right, he's really too common,” Sizhui was replying.

“It's embarrassing to be seen with him.” Jingyi tutted.

With a furious wail, Mo Jun lashed out at them, sword a flash of lighting through the dark. They disappeared like ghosts, their mocking laughter dissipating into the air.

“Eugh, what a horrible attitude.”

He turned to see Zizhen, nose in the air, eyeing him like he was watching a particularly large cockroach in the corner of an inn.

“I spoke with you out of pity, but now I know you're as miserable and vile as your clan's reputation!”

Mo Jun howled and threw himself at the other man, hacking at him with all the blazing fury in his veins, heart burning through his chest like dragon fire. Zizhen, like the others, vanished into cruel laughter.

The laughter collected in the air, a clamour of mockery that surrounded Mo Jun. It filled his ears, becoming one with the storm in his head. Everywhere he looked he could see the flash of cruel grins, the sharp corners of smirking mouths, the arched brows of sneers. He gripped his sword and swung, trying to cut through the noise.

“How shameful.”

Wen Ning and Song Lan stared with white eyes, blood down their faces. They lurched at him, hideous and dead, muddy claws reaching for him. He slashed and hacked at them, swinging his blade around in a fever of hate.

“Low blood.”

Every time he hit one of the corpses they vanished and reappeared behind him. They built a wall of vicious corpse between him and the other young men who were stood back, taunting him. Whenever he tried to get close, they'd vanish from sight and reappear behind him, cackling as the undead beasts fought him off.

“How embarrassing that you think you could clear your family name.”

A man towered in front of him, black hair wild around him like a fog, draped in dark robes. The black dizi in his hand glinted in a deep red light, clutched in sharp clawed hands.

“You can't escape your cousin's shame. You can't escape what I did. You're a failure. You failed!”

Mo Jun screamed, screamed so hard it hurt, and threw himself at the Yiling Patriarch. Every stab and slash of the sword was dodged. Every cut and jab missed. He fell over himself, choking up mouthfuls of hot iron. His body fell into itself, muscles too heavy, bones burning. He threw the sword around, unable to remember how to fight, desperately hitting at the ever-dodging villain. Laughter danced around him. The others watched him, an audience to a bullfight.

“Useless!”

“Pathetic!”

“Disgrace!”

“Failure!”

Something hit him, hard, and he fell to the ground. He was pinned by some unseen power, his sword falling from his hand. He screamed until his throat was raw, writhing around out of control. His arms hurt where he was being held and he struggled against the immovable grip until it was unbearable.

A burst of energy hit him. If the original one had been a dark tidal wave, this was a gust of cleansing wind. It blew away the darkness that had gripped his mind like a virus and cleared out the fog of rage that controlled him. He was left as he had been before, but now shaken and weak, still pinned to the floor.

In a confused daze, he spat out a mouthful of blood and stared at his haggard reflection.

“Mo Jun! Mo Jun!”

He blinked and took in his surroundings. Grey hands held him down, heavy chains hanging from their wrists. His sword lay a few feet away, scratched and battered. In his fist, he held the Tiger Amulet. It was nothing but a useless hunk of metal.

He let out a slow groan of pain.

“He's back to normal, let him up!”

Wen Ning freed his wrists and helped him stand, putting steady hands on his side. Unlike seconds before, his hold was careful and delicate, like a mother holding their baby. He took a few slow breaths, trying to collect himself.

“Are you okay?”

A hand gripped his arm. He raised his head to see Zizhen and Jingyi looking at him with concerned eyes. Over their shoulder, he could see Song Lan standing with his arms spread out to make a wall between Mo Jun and the others. Jin Ling was lying back, head on Sizhui's chest as the Pearl held a cloth to his bleeding chest and passed healing energy to him. Huisang was there beside Xichen, who was monitoring the wounded clan leader. Mo Jun's gaze dropped down to see Zizhen gripping his hand to his chest. A twisting mark had burned itself into his skin, raw and bloody.

“What happened?” He asked, voice raspy.

“You should sit for this.” Jingyi put a hand on his shoulder.

Together the three brought Mo Jun over to the others and helped him settle down. At once Xichen moved over to check him, eyes round with concern.

“You suffered a Qi deviation,” Nie Huisang told him, looking at him with an expression so worn and haunted that the younger felt a pang of sympathy. “It caused you to attack your friends.”

“...Attack?”

“Everyone's fine. You had no control, don't blame yourself.”

“But... How...?”

“Zizhen broke the oath,” Jingyi said bluntly.

Mo Jun looked over to the other's wounded wrist and realised it was the shape of the oath mark.

“I wasn't going to let you die,” Zizhen said, trying to sound more noble than terrified, “and Leader Nie was so willing to help when I asked.” He pulled his sleeve down, covering the mark of the oath breaker. “I don't mind. I was never very good with a sword anyway.”

Mo Jun clenched his jaw.

“I would have made him break the oath, even if he hadn't offered,” Huisang said sternly. “I had no intention of seeing someone else die that way.”

Hot tears welled on Mo Jun's face and spilled down his cheeks.

“Hey! Don't be upset! I'd have lost a whole hand if it meant helping you. And besides, we did it! The Tiger Seal is destroyed. This is a victory, not something to be sad about.”

“A whole hand...” Jingyi tutted. “You're too sentimental for your own good.”

“I stand by it!”

Mo Jun choked out a pained noise. “This isn't a victory.” His voice strained. “I didn't do it. I hurt Jin Ling. You can't hold a sword again. I'm a failure.”

“You came here to destroy the Tiger Amulet, didn't you?” Xichen said quietly.

He nodded.

“It's destroyed. Don't be so harsh on yourself. Your friend will be fine.”

“It's only a shallow cut!” Jin Ling huffed and sat up, then winced. “As if you could really hurt me. I'm not a child.”

“Ah, careful, you'll start bleeding again.” Sizhui held him and pulled him to lie back down.

“I'm fine!” Jin Ling stubbornly sat up once more and pulled the cloth away. The cut across his chest was bloody, but not deep. It was already scabbing over.

“We were lucky it was you who took it,” Jingyi told Mo Jun. “Anyone else and someone might have died.”

“He means that nicely!”

“How else could I mean it?”

“You took a difficult sacrifice,” Xichen said, ignoring his two disciples. “Often there are casualties to this sort of thing. No one has died, and that's what matters.”

“I said no one would die...”

Xichen smiled. “You did.”

Behind him, the coffin rattled.

They all turned to look at it, then at each other. Jin Ling gripped his sword, jaw clenched and eyes hard. The Twin Pearls both reached into their sleeves, anticipating the worst. Zizhen backed up, unable to do anything, until Song Lan stood in front of him, back straight and ready to draw his weapon. Wen Ning crouched, poised to lunge.

“I don't understand.” Jingyi's words were a sharp whisper. “Didn't Nie Mingjue get his revenge in the end? Why should there still be resentful energy there?”

“Sometimes the desire for revenge can go on for so long that the resentful energy builds to a point so great that even revenge isn't enough.”

“Jin Guangyao... Did not die an easy death,” Xichen added quietly. “In his last moments, he suffered a betrayal...” His eyes flicked up to meet Huisang's.

Huisang looked away.

“Then, I guess there's only one thing left to do,” Mo Jun whispered.

The others glanced at each other once more, then nodded.


	15. Awakening The Dead: Old Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i like to think you all come here for promised content of your specific ships and instead i've tricked you into reading chapter after chapter of my little bastardous boy

Wen Ning and Song Lan stood either end of the coffin and gripped the heavy lid. Mo Jun was kept back with Zizhen, Jin Ling and the Twin pearls stood in front of them. The other young men were worn out from the energy the technique required. It was only because of Huisang and Xichen's help that they were able to remain standing afterwards. The Nie Leader himself had lines etched around his eyes and mouth, not at all used to any sort of combat.

“I'm afraid I won't be much help here,” he warned.

“You still refuse to lift a sabre?” Xichen asked.

“We all have our principles to stick to.”

The men spoke without looking at each other.

“Are we ready?” Wen Ning called.

“Let's end all this,” Jin Ling called back, “once and for all!”

“We're at your side!” The Pearls cried in unison, though Jingyi's wobbled with fear.

“We're ready,” Mo Jun confirmed.

In unison, Wen Ning and Song Lan dragged the coffin lid aside, all the gathered men tense and ready for action. Immediately something dark shot out of the coffin and slammed into Song Lan, throwing him across the ground into the far wall. He hit it hard enough to leave a web of cracks around him, and when he pulled himself out he had made a hole in the brick.

The dark shadow hadn't stopped for a second, rounding on Wen Ning, who dodged a slash from the sharp end of a broad sabre, then another. A downward slice nearly pierced him but he leaped out of the way, and the sabre dug into the ground, wedging stiff in place as the fierce corpse wrangled with it, resentful energy rising from its body like flames. Baxia glinted in the light.

“Brother,” Huisang breathed.

“We'll keep you safe!” Sizhui called back. “Jin Ling, be careful you're not put in danger again!”

“I won't let my guard down so easily!” Jin Ling shouted back.

His words were put to the test when Nie Mingjue's fierce corpse charged at him, swinging Baxia at his head. Jin Ling countered, pushed back across the ground. The force of the attack sent a shock through him, but he managed to pull his blade free and block another attack, fighting the furious corpse with everything he had. Each slash and stab he blocked and evaded pushed him another step back. Pains twinged all over his chest and the scabs split open, causing fresh blood to spill down his chest once more. Enraged by the smell of Jin blood, the fierce corpse of Nie Mingjue attacked even more viciously.

Jin Ling dug his feet into the ground and held himself in place, blocking every attack until he felt the force of the blows sending shock-waves all the way through his body into the earth beneath him. The tinkle of metal on stone caught his attention and he looked up to see a chip taken out of Suihua, the crack running down the blade. He cried out and yanked himself back, pulling the damaged blade to his chest.

“My sword!”

“We've got you!”

Sizhui rushed in to counter another attack against Jin Ling and disarmed the fierce corpse, sending Baxia flying. Jingyi appeared a second later, slicing through its middle gracefully. The fierce corpse rounded on them, slashing wildly at them as they dodged and circled around it, ducking beneath attacks and taking every chance they could to get an attack in. Nie Mingjue had always been a huge, powerful man, and his re-animated corpse was thrice as strong. Their attacks were scratches in comparison.

Realising they could not do enough to defeat the fierce corpse as they were, the two silently communicated through a glance and a nod, then acted out their plan. Jingyi took over fighting the corpse, ducking each attack and jabbing towards his feet. Enraged, the corpse kicked out at Jingyi, who rolled out of the way just in time for Sizhui, who had pulled his guqin out, to use chord assassination.

The fierce corpse staggered back at the burst of power, left weak and unstable long enough to be grabbed and wrestled by Song Lan. Disengaged, the Pearls ran to Jin Ling's side and pulled him away, leaving a trail of sword fragments in their wake. Shock paled the young leader's face.

“Hold him down!” Xichen called, lifting Liebing to his mouth once more.

Wen Ning and Song Lan joined their energy together to pin Mingjue down, the furious corpse snarling and howling as it struggled to break free. Undeterred by the horrific sight of his sworn brother turned monster, Xichen began to play the calming melody on his xiao, eyes closed as he immersed himself into it. Slowly but surely, the fierce corpse began to calm down.

“We need to strike now,” Mo Jun whispered to the others as they huddled down beside him.

“How? Suihua... It's broken.” Jin Ling looked mournfully at his cracked sword, then sheathed it to stop more pieces from falling.

“We can't keep this up.” Sizhui was panting. “He's too strong, for any of us.”

“I can't even hold a sword.” Zizhen rubbed his wrist.

“Must I..?” Mo Jun reached for his own blade. It was cheaply made, and he wasn't very good with it.

“Don't be ridiculous.” Huisang grabbed his shoulder. “You're going to use that technique on him.”

“Sect Leader Nie, with all due respect, none of us have the energy,” Sizhui explained.

“I'll give you what's left of mine. Brother Lan, come here, help me!”

Xichen sidestepped to them, keeping the melody playing smoothly. Once among the group he crouched down and put a hand on Sizhui's shoulder.

Huisang put his hands out on Mo Jun and Zizhen's shoulders. “Connect yourselves to each other. We'll give you our strength.”

The young men reached out to hold each other's shoulders, until they were all in a chain. Carefully, Xichen and Huisang passed their energy into them, restoring the younger cultivators from their exhausted states. Even Jin Ling's wound closed enough to stop bleeding.

“Go on, you can do this,” Huisang told Mo Jun.

He nodded, swallowed his fear, and stood. The rest stood behind him.

They advanced on the fierce corpse, who twitched and wriggled in Wen Ning and Song Lan's hands. The calming music had made it less vicious, but nowhere near stopped its dangerous intents. Strain pulled at every muscle on the two men's bodies, black veins outlining bulging tendons. Pale eyes turned to the group, who got themselves into position.

“Ready?” Mo Jun asked.

The others nodded.

With a deep breath, they cast the second nullification technique of the day.

Wen Ning and Song Lan threw themselves out of the way in time as Nie Mingjue was hit full force by it. The powerful wave washed out over the ground, destroying the last of the resentful energy that hung around the coffin site. The air was cleared, and Nie Mingue's body hit the ground, lifeless and free of evil power.

The five cultivators fell to their knees, panting and worn out to their absolute limits. Xichen hurried past them to perform the final stages. They gave him the privacy of not looking at his grieved face.

Mingjue's spirit was, finally, at rest.  
The young men all crawled in, piling up against Mo Jun, who was the only one able to sit up straight. Jingyi wrapped his sleeve around his arm until it was thick enough to press on Jin Ling's wound and stem the blood. Sizhui had his eyes shut, trying to recover. Zizhen was practically on Mo Jun's lap.

“You all did very well,” Huisang told them.

“Better than we could have imagined.” Xichen returned to them and and extracted Jin Ling, then produced some medicine from an inside pocket and began to patch him up. Jingyi kept his arm on offer until the medicine was fully applied and Xichen pressed Jingyi's sleeve against the wound once more. Jin Ling mumbled a thanks.

“Hang on,” Zizhen spoke up. “If I remember what we were told, shouldn't in Jin Guangyao be her too?”

Wen Ning had brushed himself down and looked up at this. He shuffled over to the coffin and peered in. He stepped away. “It is best no one else looks in.”

“Why?”  
“To say it in the most delicate way I can... It's not pretty.”

Song Lan joined his side to look in, then recoiled. He looked to the other and waved his hand, stopping anyone's thought at looking themselves. “There is no need to worry about his corpse,” he wrote on the slate, hands hesitating with each word, as though unsure how to put it without getting graphic or insensitive.

Xichen went pale. Huisang, similarly, went a sickly shade.  
Mo Jun looked at the two older cultivators, who despite the praises sung about them, had gone through so much and made so many mistakes. The great skill and elegance of the top clan's best cultivators and leaders seemed no better than the children of his own. His gaze moved past them as he turned to look longingly back at the door, hoping now they could go and lie down somewhere.

He gasped, hand shooting up to point at the apparition before his eyes.

The others turned, startled, and gasped as well. Xichen, realising Mo Jun was pointing directly over his shoulder, was the slowest to turn. He knew before his eyes even lay on the sight, a familiar feeling surrounding him.

Jin Guangyao stood behind him.


	16. Awakening The Dead: The Cycle Ends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the scene with guangyao was gonna have no dialogue but turns out people are hate reading this fic so i extended it just for you xxx

Mo Jun had only heard tale of the mild mannered smile that hid cruel intents. Being faced with it, he was struck with how serene the expression was. A still lake undisturbed by even a leaf's fall.

“You...” Xichen's voice caught in his throat. He swallowed.

Jin Guangyao bowed his head only a fraction.

“No resentful energy at all,” Jingyi whispered loudly. He hadn't needed to, everyone else could tell immediately.

Xichen's hands shook.

“Oh, this will need Inquiry!” Sizhui pushed himself away from the others and hurried forwards until he was between Xichen and Guangyao, then sat down to rest his guqin across his lap.

“No resentment.” Huisang's voice was quiet, but easily heard in the silence. “Was there really nothing that would make you angry or resentful when you died?”

Sizhui's nimble fingers danced across the strings as he played Inquiry, translating the language between the living and the dead. “ _I made my peace in my last moment. What should I be resentful for?_ ”

Xichen's breath came at a gasp.

“No anger? No grudge to bear?” Huisang pushed, looking at the spirit like Guangyao had suddenly pulled his face off and become someone else.

“ _What use is anger, a grudge, when I know in the end all it brought me was death? I faced my crimes and took my punishment. The balance is made, and I have no need to disrupt it_.”

Huisang clenched his jaw, fists curling into tight balls. He lowered his head.

“Not even when I failed you? Not even after that?” Xichen's voice was a whisper.

“ _I chose to let you live, and so I do not have regrets_.”

Sizhui translated faithfully, trying to keep his emotions out. His hand hesitated over the strings, nervousness tensing in his knuckles. He looked up at his clan leader, eyes wide.

Lan Xichen could not manage another word. His eyes darted around, looking for some way to put the thoughts in his head together. His lips trembled, trying to form sounds that never came. When he raised his eyes once more, Jin Guangyao had begun to fade.

“W-” He jerked forward, a hand extended, the cry not yet fully formed. But it was too late. The spirit had faded from the world and passed on.

“I-I'm sorry, I couldn't keep him here,” Sizhui stammered, gripping the guqin.

Xichen's hand circled into a ball and he lowered it, saying nothing.

Jingyi joined the other Pearl and helped him stand. The spirits had been sent on and the amulet destroyed, but somehow there was a lingering feeling of dissatisfaction in the air. The two older clan leaders kept their eyes to the ground.

“It is no wonder we cannot tell monsters from men,” Zizhen said quietly.

Mo Jun gave his arm a warning squeeze, but otherwise did nothing more.

When they had all pulled themselves back together, the group began to reassemble themselves to return home. Jin Ling had thankfully stopped bleeding and the wound didn't open itself when he stood. Zizhen's wrist was visibly burned, but there was no open wound to get infected. Wen Ning and Song Lan had some damage done to them, but both easily patched themselves back up before putting Nie Mingjue's body back into the coffin placing the lid firmly on top.

“I was glad to have aided you today,” Song Lan told his young friends through his chalk and stone.

“We couldn't have done it without you,” Sizhui told him.

“Yeah, you're still as powerful as we remember. If we'd just left you and Wen Ning to fight you probably would have done it all by yourself,” Jingyi added.

Sizhui nudged him sharply.

Song Lan gave them all warm smiles, then turned to Mo Jun. “I was glad to meet you.”

Mo Jun nodded. “Thank you for everything.

“You show promise. Don't give up.”

His ears warmed and he bowed his head, if just to avoid reading those words.

Song Lan gave them a polite bow and they all returned it. He took time to say goodbyes to Wen Ning, then the older clan leaders, before finally leaving. The two swords across his back caught the light as he leapt up onto the wall and over the edge, out of sight.

“Why couldn't he be someone's cousin, too? We could keep him around.” Jingyi sighed.

“Sorry. It will just be me, I'm afraid.” Wen Ning had joined them.

“You're more than enough, you've been really helpful,” Sizhui reassured him.

“Hey.” Jin Ling frowned, turning their attention back towards the doors.

Lan Xichen was silently making his way out, head bowed.

“Leader-” The Twin Pearls began.

“Let him go.” Huisang had recovered himself. “He has much to think about.”

“But...”

“Give him peace.” He gave Sizhui's worried face a small smile. “I, too, have plenty to think on. Living with the choices you make is only doable when you accept what it's meant.”

“That sounds heavy,” Mo Jun replied.

“It is. I'll arrange for all this to be cleaned up and a proper burial arranged. For now, it is best you all find your ways home. This all should be put behind us.” With that, he marched away, robes flapping.

Soldiers filed in afterwards, collecting the bodies and transporting the coffin onto a wagon to be taken elsewhere. Others began to fill the hole back in with earth.

Not wanting to be in the way, the group of young cultivators left the dead grounds. It was a tired, slow, miserable journey back to the town where they were able to find an inn to spend the night. As soon as they had their rooms, the first thing they did was scrub themselves clean of the blood, filth and sweat that had accumulated on them. Mo Jun had obliged to help Zizhen wash himself, given his wrist made it difficult to do so.

When all were redressed and clean, they gathered back at the restaurant to eat. If the Jin Clan Leader, two Lan disciples and two other cultivators were not on their own a sight to catch, the quantity of food the young men shoved into their mouths was. They ate what was probably their own weight in food between them, Jin Ling especially needing the energy to recover from his injury.

Mo Jun poked a scrap of food around his bowl.

“Why the long face? You did it! It was a success.” Zizhen nudged him and grinned.

“I didn't do much. I thought... I might be the hero, I guess.”

“Please. I was always going to be the hero of this group,” Jin Ling boasted.

“Mo Jun cut you down pretty easily. Some hero.” Jingyi tutted.

“Ignore them,” Sizhui said. “You did a lot! It's because of you any of this happened!”

“Yeah, your leadership brought us here, convinced the Clan leaders to let us do this. I certainly wouldn't have even considered having a go at it without you.” Zizhen put his food down to squeeze his shoulder.

“Me either. This would've been a suicide mission, in my opinion. But you made it work.” Jingyi picked up a piece of food and stuffed it into his mouth to emphasise his point.

“Thanks.” He felt a little better, though still down. Maybe it was just the exhaustion setting in.

“We should have a proper celebration. Tomorrow let's all return to Koi Tower! I'll make a public declaration that we've destroyed the Tiger Amulet. I'll even uphold my promise and make sure to give my endorsement of your clan. I'll even put on good music and performance, not the drab stuff the Nie clan enjoy.”

“You shouldn't be so critical.”

“Why not? I know we have better performances at the Jin Clan. I'll prove it. You'll all come, won't you?”  
The others began to chatter amongst themselves. Mo Jun watched them, tired, but relieved to have them there. His friends had, after all, become his main source of strength. He wouldn't have survived even Cloud Recess without them.

Worn, fed and in good spirits, the young men all retired to their rooms. Not so anxious now, they didn't need to pile up together for comfort. However, Mo Jun and Zizhen somehow found themselves both falling asleep on the same bed.


	17. Restoration: Familiar Faces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes i am aware this fic is riddled with inconsistencies yes i will eventually fix that but for now its THOSE BOYS

Sizhui and Jingyi woke before the others as usual and washed before dressing in their clothes and padding down the hallway to the stairs. By this time other guests at the inn were waking and moving about. The kitchen staff had begun work and were serving the first meals as morning traders were getting food to get through the day, guests were making their early leave, and travelers were finally getting a meal after a long night's marching. The light, warm smell of food was a welcome one after sleeping so heavily from the previous night's stress.

They reached the ground floor and stepped into the restaurant, Jingyi's stomach already growling for food. It was quiet, only a smattering of people about. Most of the guests had chosen to talk directly to the staff and ask for their food to be brought up. Jingyi was about to join in the little group naming their orders and what room they were in when Sizhui grabbed his arm tightly. He jolted, thinking something bad was happening.

“What?”

“Look!”

Sizhui pointed and Jingyi followed his finger across the restaurant to where two men sat at a table. One was draped in the iconic snowy white of the Lan clan. The other wore deep black. Jingyi's eyes widened to match Sizhui's.

“Let's get the others, quick!” He whispered, patting his friend's arm to rush him.

They ran back up the stairs, attracting the attention of a few staff members who gave them curious looks before shrugging it off. Their footsteps were too loud down the hallway, but neither were in a state to worry about it. Sizhui rapped on Jin Ling's door while Jingyi on Mo Jun and Zizhen's room.

The pair were the first to answer, Zizhen sleepy and confused and Mo Jun grouchy and bed-hair puffy. Jin Ling answered a moment after, still in his sleepwear but gripping Sizhua in his fist, ready to fight.

“What's happening?” He snapped. A lock of hair slid over his face.

“You have to come downstairs and see!” Jingyi said.

“Can it wait? We're not even dressed yet.” Zizhen yawned.

The Twin Pearls looked at each other, helpless.

“Okay, I'll hold them up, you stay here and hurry everyone along,” Sizhui decided.

“Can't we play for it?”  
“No.” He patted the other pearl's shoulder and hurried back downstairs.

“What has gotten you so excited?” The Jin sect leader was getting irritated now. “Do you know how hard it was to sleep last night?”

“You'll understand soon. Just get ready, go on!”

Zizhen and Mo Jun shrugged at each other and retreated back into their room to get ready. Being two of them, it was easy to help each other do their hair up and dress neatly. Jin Ling was less lucky, and with his injury was slowed down. Jingyi had to help him out, and the other two joined in to fix his hair up while Jingyi helped get his golden ropes in place. Jin Ling was visibly unhappy with the situation, but the Lan cultivator had no time for his complaints.

“You'll thank us later. Come on, we're wasting time!”

The three young men were rounded up and ushered down the stairs like sheep being herded by an impatient border collie. Jin Ling was the first down the stairs, huffing that they had tied his hair too tight and his clothes were twisted. His complaints cut short when he reached the bottom step and froze in place.

“What's going on?” Zizhen asked from behind him.

Jin Ling did not answer. Instead he sped across the wooden floor out of sight, the hanging banner over the stairway hiding whatever it was he could see. Zizhen glanced back at the other two, and with Jingyi's encouragement stepped down as well. Though he didn't verbally explain anything, he did gasp loudly and beam with delight, then he too ran off out of sight. Mo Jun had managed to slip out of Jingyi's herding and was the last down the stairs, and also managed to avoid being grabbed and yanked down – if just to minimise the risk of falling and snapping his neck.

He followed the excited Lan out into the restaurant and watched him join the others around a table. He couldn't see what they were excited about, most of them were still standing. Sizhui had managed to sit, though he was mostly hidden by someone else beside him. Mo Jun squinted as he approached, each step slow as he tried to work out who it was that had got his friends so excited.

The young men settled down as they pulled seats up, all talking at once. Zizhen pulled a spare up for Mo Jun and gestured for him to join them. He cautiously joined the group, looking at the two men curiously.

One was the image of the Lan clan, all smooth and clean and pure white. His face was similar to Lan Xichen's, though a little softer and prettier. Without even being introduced, he knew who this was: Hanguan-Jun. Lan Wangji.

Which meant that the other man could only be one person. Mo Jun and the man in black robes turned to face each other at the same time, matching wavy black hair moving to reveal matching faces.

“Xunayu-!” Mo Jun gasped before he could stop himself. His voice caught in his throat.

It was not Mo Xuanyu. Mo Xuanyu was dead. The man who looked at him with guilt on his face was – or had been – the Yiling Patriarch, Wei Wuxian.

They looked at each other in painful silence for a moment until Zizhen grabbed Mo Jun's hand and pulled him to sit down. He cleared his throat and crossed his legs, keeping his eyes down.

“Senior Wei, this is who I was telling you about,” Sizhui explained, politely putting the awkward atmosphere aside. “Mo Jun brought us all together so we could destroy the Tiger Amulet.” He looked a little nervous. “I know you worked very hard on it, but now no one needs to worry about it getting in the wrong hands.”

“You did the right thing.” Wuxian looked at Mo Jun and smiled. “That must've been tough work. Well done!”

“Thanks,” he mumbled.

“We did more than him,” Jin Ling huffed.

“But you were injured for most of it, why try to take glory from that?” Sizhui asked in his polite, earnest voice.

Jin Ling's face heated up. “Hey! I did plenty! If I had been on my feet the whole time there would be nothing left for any of you to do!”

“He really hasn't learned any modesty,” Jingyi told Lan Wangji. “I think all the Jin clan must be this way.”

“Jingyi!” Sizhui scolded.

“He's right, it's in his blood to be a peacock. But it's also in your blood to be kind and considerate as your mother was.”

“Hmph. Isn't the Jiang Clan motto “Attempt the Impossible”? Well I did that and I will allow myself to be proud of it. To disrespect that is to disrespect the Jiang clan!”

Wuxian blinked, then laughed and slapped the table. “For a minute there you really did remind me of her!”

Jin Ling went such an interesting colour that even Mo Jun couldn't help but laugh with the others. He only stopped when he noticed Wangji watching him, falling into a nervous silence. Wangji's eyes moved away back to Wuxian until the other man noticed his stare as well.

“Huh? What's that look for? This is my nephew, I can tease him.”

“You two have very similar faces.”

“Eh? Do we?” Wuxian reached over and, without asking, held Mo Jun's face in one hand and turned it around.

“Hey! Let me go!”

Wangji dropped his gaze down and lifted his drink. “Only sometimes.”

Mo Jun wrestled himself free. “I don't think we're that similar. Xuanyu was my cousin, not a brother or anything.”

“Hm. So this is your cousins body.” Wuxian rested his head in his hand.

He nodded and let out a short, “Hm.”

“Like we said before, Senior Wei is doing a lot of good and not doing more damage to Mo Xuanyu's reputation while he has his face,” Sizhui reassured.

“Of course, this body is getting all the best treatment!” Wuxian grinned.

At once, all the younger cultivators around the table blushed. Even Lan Wangji's ears went a deep red. Wuxian's grin sharpened. Mo Jun looked around and decided not to ask what they were all thinking.

“Okay...”

“You know, if it helps at all... I really didn't plan to be summoned back. If it was my choice your cousin would still very much be around and I...” He caught Wangji's eye, “Well, maybe I'd just have come back another way. But any problems caused to your clan weren't my fault. I had no say in the matter.”

Mo Jun's previously neutral expression went dark. Zizhen sqeezed his arm gently.

“Ah, he didn't mean it like that. Senior Wei can speak bluntly sometimes.”

“Sure.”

Wangji gave Wuxian a pointed look.

“Ah. I misspoke.” The once Patriarch stepped off his seat to face Mo Jun. In a dramatic motion, he got onto his hands and knees and bowed his head down to the ground. “I am very thankful to your cousin for giving me this second chance. I won't disappoint you.”

“Senior Wei! The younger cultivators were all shocked.

Mo Jun felt his face heat up. “Get up, please!” He hissed. “I wasn't even close with him.”

Smoothly, without a single worry about the public display, Wei Wuxian sat back up in his seat and flicked his hair from his face. “So, I have your forgiveness?”

Mo Jun just made a neutral sound. He wasn't quite ready to let his grudge go, but he didn't want to appear too caught up in things he couldn't change. Wuxian took this as good enough and the rest of the young men around them relaxed. Zizhen patted Mo Jun's back fondly.

“Honestly, I don't mean to appear that I'm just being nice to make up to you – that's really not my style-” Wuxian cut himself off at a warning look from Wangji. “Hehe. I just mean to say, you've done a lot considering you've come from a smaller clan. I'm sure everyone's very proud of you. I'm sure Xuanyu would have been too.”

Mo Jun clenched his hands in his robes and blinked a few times. “Thank you,” he mumbled, feeling hot around the ears and wet around the eyes all at the same time.

“You've all done a lot of work here. I'm really impressed with everyone. Good work.” He gave a thumbs up and a big grin.

“Hanguan-Jun, Senior Wei, I meant to ask, what brings you here?” Jingyi asked.

“Isn't it true you onlygo where there's trouble?” Zizhen asked as well, nervous.

“The trouble we came for has been fixed.” Wangji's response was even and to-the-point.

“Then, was the trouble us?” Sizhui raised his eyebrows.

“You fixed it, so we have no need to worry any more.”

“Hm, that's true.” Wuxian leaned over the table and sighed. “I guess we have no need to stay here any longer, except to eat a nice big meal!” He grinned. “Then we'll find somewhere else to go.”

“Please stay a while, so we can catch up properly!” Sizhui insisted.

“As long as is needed,” Wangj replied.

The Twin Pearls brightened up.

“Can I suggest where you go next?” Jingyi asked.

The two older cultivators looked at him.

“It's not trouble, maybe not to you, but we are worried.” He sighed and pushed his doubt aside. “Hanguan-Jun, I'll be blunt, you should visit Zewu-Jun soon.”

Wangji was not an expressive person, but his brows raised the tiniest millimetre and his mouth cracked open. “Is he unwell?”  
“In his heart,” Sizhui explained. “He's been without the support of family, sworn or blood, for a long time. He isn't healing from his pain easily.”

“If you have living family who care for you, you should do them the kindness of visiting them,” Jin Ling added.

“I guess it's been a long time since we saw anyone.” Wuxian looked to Wangji. “Maybe we should.”

The oldest Lan nodded. “You're right. I will make sure to visit soon.”

The Twin Pearls looked very pleased with themselves.

“But before that- let's eat!” Wuxian threw a hand in the air to call a waiter over. “Everyone together is cause for a big celebration!”


	18. Restoration: Celebration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i couldnt read my own notes for this chapter so i sure hope i got those loose ends huh

“To our impressive friends who destroyed the lasting evil spread by the traitorous Meng Yao, a toast!” Clan leader Yao held his drink up and the others in the room cheered loudly.

Jin Ling's jaw clenched, having been about to make the toast himself. It wasn't worth the fight, but Mo Jun could practically see the irritation bubbling off him like hot water. The leader took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and huffed it out. His shoulders dropped and the tension passed.

The young Jin Clan Leader had kept his word and thrown an elaborate and grand celebration, probably too much of one. There were multiple dance and music performances, food from as far as he could extend his coin, and a lot of alcohol. Many of the attendees were already flush in the face and rowdy with enjoyment.

It was a stark contrast to see who was not.

The Lan Clan, graceful and dignified, sat upright in the midst of all this. Lan Xichen, tired and worn around the eyes as usual, had the breath of a smile around his lips. At his sides, Sizhui and Jingyi watched the festivities with amused expressions. Sizhui caught Jin Ling's eye and they exchanged a brief, silent conversation.

The young clan leader made his way across the room, weaving between his delighted guests, to join the other stoic presence. His uncle, Jiang Chen, leaned in the doorway with a drink clutched in his hand, staring out into the night. Tension clenched in his jawline.

“Uncle, he will not come.” Jin Ling spoke quietly, tone gentle.

The older man tutted. “No. I didn't think so. But he might at least show a bit of gratefulness for you fixing up his mistakes.”

Jin Ling glanced back to see Sizhui giving him a meaningful look. He nodded. “We met with him recently.”

Jiang Chen turned his head so fast Jin Ling was sure he saw a muscle pull, but the man showed no sign of being in pain. He never did. “What?”

“We ran into him the day after. He was with Hanguan-Jun-”

Jiang Chen huffed.

Jin Ling continued. “He's already spoken with our friend. You know if he showed here it would only cause more problems.”

Jiang Chen's grip on his cup tightened and he looked down into his drink like it might present him some clearer understanding. His brows pinched up, lips pressing tight.

Jin Ling realised very suddenly that his uncle was trying not to cry. He turned his face away and looked out into the night to spare him the indignity. “Give it time.”

“Hasn't he had time enough?” The older man's voice was rough.

“I think you haven't had time enough. If you spend all evening looking out the window, you'll miss the revelry in the room.”

His uncle looked at him, brows furrowed, a confused look in his eyes. “When did you start speaking like this?”

“I spend a lot of time with Lan cultivators.” Jin Ling drained his cup. “I'm also speaking literally. I threw a big party, enjoy it. You shouldn't bring the mood down everywhere you go, it's becoming a problem.”

Jiang Chen raised his hand, but Jin Ling held his gaze and didn't flinch. He lowered it with a huff. “I'm not young any more.”

“Leader Ouyang and Leader Mo are the oldest in the room. They're drinking and chatting like old friends.”

“I don't make friends and mess around so easily.”

“I'm not asking you to.” Jin Ling was tired now. “I'm just asking you to change your perspective, for your sake.” He looked down at his empty cup and stepped away. “If you want to stay forming storm clouds at my parties, I will ust stop inviting you to them.”

“You insolent brat-”

“I'm just what I was raised to be.” Jin Ling filled his cup from a jug as he walked away.

Jiang Chen sighed and turned to look into the room. The two oldest leaders were indeed drinking and laughing, a youthful joy shining through their wrinkled faces. Nie Huisang was caught up in some conversation with Leader Yao and a few others, only pretending to be interested. Mo Jun and Oyang Zizhen had something in their hands and were giggling between themselves, visibly intoxicated. Across from them, Sizhui anf Jingyi rose as Jin Ling approached them, politely excusing themselves from their leader's side. Lan Xichen gave them a nod and a smile, then was left to his thoughts, a silent jade statue alone in the room.

Jiang Chen drained his cup and swung around the doorway to walk slowly through the part goers, casually brushing off attempts to pull him into a group of gossiping leaders. He settled down beside the Jade and rested an arm on the table top.

“Somehow I blinked and Jin Ruolan was a man.”

Xichen smiled. “I thought the same. Where do the years go?”

“And how can we stop them?” He took the tea pot and topped up Xichen's drink, then filled his own cup. “Maybe I will have to face them head on from now on.” He raised a brow at the other man and lifted his cup.

Xichen's expression softened. “Yes. To facing the years head on.”

They both drank.

Their backs to the room, Zizhen and Mo Jun had shared several drinks and had tumbled over the line of tipsy and down into silly drunk. Mo Jun had the small pot of rouge held open in his palms while Zizhen rubbed his fingertips across the surface. Carefully, with the immense focus of a drunk man doing something that required motor skills, Zizhen dragged his finger tips from one side of Mo Jun's face to the other, tracing his cheekbone and smoothing over the bridge of his nose, leaving a streak of red in his wake.

“Hey- ahah- that tickles!” Mo Jun squirmed and leaned away from his touch.

“Then don't wiggle so much, A-Jun, you'll make me ruin it!”

Mo Ju's blush nearly matched the rouge. “Don't call me that. What if I called you A-Zhen, hm?”

“I like when you say it, so I'd let you!”

“Wow, aren't you two utterly disgusting to be around?” Huisang descended to sit beside them, having extracted himself from a conversation about wives and children. Leader Yao had boasted about his child's recent achievements, then inquired about Huisang's own lineage. It had been a difficult trap to escape.

“I don't know what you're talking about, Leader Nie,” Mo Jun said in feigned ignorance.

“We're exploring the arts, isn't that something you might appreciate?” Zizhen gestured to the line across Mo Jun's face like it wasn't incredible obvious with the way the other young man was grinning.

Huisang looked at his drunkenly delighted face, smeared with red, and felt a yank of some complex feeling inside him; nostalgia, sorrow, comfort, he couldn't place it. “You're a lot like he was.”

Mo Jun scowled. “I don't want to be known by a dead man's legacy. I'm making my own mark, look.” He pointed to the red line. “It's different. People will remember this as someone who re-shaped the world.”

“Well, they'll definitely remember it.”

“I think it makes you look like a mysterious novel hero, like a legendary figure,” Zizhen said.

Mo Jun beamed so brightly Huisang let out a laugh despite himself.

“Okay, I see what you were going for. Ah, but you've made a mess of it.” He tutted. “Here, I'll fix it. I used to do it all the time.” He reached over and grabbed Zizhen's sleeve, then used it to wipe Mo Jun's face.

“Hey! Why my sleeve?”

“Because mine are very expensive, and yours are a dark material. It won't show any stains. You would have got this on yourself anyway, it's fine.” He freed Zizhen's sleeve and ignored the young man's complaints.

“Didn't you just wipe it off?” Mo Jun raised a hand.

Huisang batted it away. “I'm fixing it.” He took the rouge into his hand and delicately swiped his finger tip onto it, then drew with the careful artistic precision he'd developed over years a neat, clean red line across his face. “There. That's better.”

Mo Jun blinked and looked at Zizhen.

“Ooh. It looks good. You're like a handsome legendary figure.”

“Oh yeah? And are you going to be my sidekick?”  
Huisang rolled his eyes. “You two are back to being disgusting, so I think I will find someone else to entertain me.” He wiped his hands clean on Zizhen's robe, ignoring the protests, and made to stand.

“Ah, hey, wait-” Mo Jun gripped his sleeve. “I have something for you.”

Huisang looked down at him with surprise and watched as the younger man pulled something from his sleeve. His eyes widened. “I told you, that's not-”

“No, I know. But the Jin clan would've just thrown it away, and no one in the Mo clan would have need to keep it.” He held out the folded fan in his hand to the clan leader.

Huisang took it with hands so gentle it was as though the paper was a butterfly wing. He unfolded the edge just enough to catch a view of the red paint.

“No one would question you having it. You could keep it displayed. It seems right. There's really nothing else of his left in the clan.”

Huisang folded it closed again, the action pushing down his own feelings. He closed his eyes for a second, then opened them and gave Mo Jun an expression so deep it was hard to comprehend. “Thank you,” was all he said.

“Thank you,” Mo Jun replied.

Some commotion caught their attention and they all turned to see Jin Ling calling for everyone to settle down, a hand raised.

“If I may make a speech,” he said aloud.

“Speech!” Someone shouted.

Jin Ling looked smug. “Tonight is in celebration of the work my friends and I have done to rid the world of an evil force.”

Mo Jun and Zizhen glanced at each other and both rolled their eyes, ready to hear him brag for the next few minutes.

“But mostly it is to sing the praises of the Mo Clan, who have raised an excellent cultivator, a sharp mind, a determined heart, and most of all, a good friend!” Jin Ling turned to Mo Jun and with the biggest smirk he could, raised his drink to him. “Where would we all be without your fearless leadership?”

“Oh no,” Mo Jun groaned as Jin Ling continued laying on heavy praise.

“Your father, leader, must be incredibly proud of your cunning wit that broke you past barriers, unlimited confidence that brought us together and into the homes of others, staggering perseverance that got you all the information you needed-”

Mo Jun stopped listening to the speech to slide his gaze over to where Sizhui and Jingyi were trying not to laugh at him.

“You even managed to land a blow on me, which still hasn't healed yet!” Jin Ling added loudly. “You must be very proud of that, right?”

“I'll call it luck.”

“Bad or good?”

Mo Jun caught sight of his father's warning look. “Let's say bad, because you were hurt.”

“Not much! And I am fortunate to stand here and eagerly wait the next great achievement from Mo Clan's greatest cultivator!” He raised his drinks and a cheer went up.

Mo Jun could've hit him.

In the end they all drank to the hideously smug speech and Jin Ling came over to playfully wrestle him into a bear hug, which the rest of his friends piled into. When they all broke apart, Zizhen's arm lingered around his side.


	19. The Song of Mo Jun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy saint dwynwens day i gift you this exceptionally gay shit to celebrate

Mo Jun let the morning light warm his face. Instead of hanging around like he normally would, he'd let himself wander out into the courtyard to breathe in the clean air. Everything was silent. He stood with his eyes shut, enjoying the peace.

Something moved near by.

He opened his eyes and darted behind a statue, hunching down. He was unarmed, but he could throw a punch if he had to. He watched the empty courtyard, waiting.

Another sound, closer. Then a lone figure appeared, dressed in white. At first Mo Jun thought it must be Lan Xichen on a morning walk, but a second later a figure in black dropped down next to him. Startled, Mo Jun straightened up.

“Wei Wuxian?”

The man himself jolted with surprise and spun around to face him. “Woah! I didn't realise anyone was here.”

He looked at the two, confused. “Why are you here?”

“We were passing through and thought we might visit family, right Lan Zhan?”

“Hm.”

“Though if you're here, the others must be too, right?” Wuxian tapped his chin.

“There was a celebration. I think you were wanted.”

“Better I keep out of those.” He grinned. “Hmm. But maybe it would be funny to sneak in and shock someone.”

“Wei Ying.”

“Ah, you're right. How about we head towards Cloud Recess? There's no parties happening that way.” He laughed. “Maybe next time we come through it'll be a better time.” He shrugged. “Oh well. Lan Zhan, let's move on before anyone notices us and causes a scene.”

“Hm.”

“Wait.” Mo Jun stepped forwards. “You're not going to see anyone?”

“Being a responsible adult is hard. I learned that while I travelled. You'll understand one day.” He winked.

Mo Jun thought about Nie Huisang and the secrets he'd kept to maintain his reputation. He remembered the gentle way the Twin Pearls treated to Lan Xichen, like he might break to pieces if pushed too hard. He thought about the lines always etching deep on Jiang Chen's face. “Try to make it less hard some time then,” he told them.

Wuxian and Wangji glanced at each other. Wuxian looked back at him with a grin and nodded, then raised a hand to wave as the two departed. Gone as suddenly as they arrived, it was as though a ghost had passed through Koi Tower.

“He's grown a lot.”

The gentle voice took Mo Jun by surprise. Wen Ning joined him, white eyes looking out where the two men had left.

“Is it weird?” Mo Jun asked.

Wen Ning looked at him and tilted his head.

“Seeing everyone grow while you're...”

The corpse laughed, quiet. “A bit, but I'm growing too. Inside.”

“Oh.”

“Huh? Have you two made friends?” Jingyi's voice rang across the courtyard.

The Twin Pearls had arrived, fresh faced and neatly dressed. They'd woken early, as they always did, and walked a circle of the tower grounds.

“I hope so.” Wen Ning smiled.

“Yeah. I guess.” Mo Jun cleared his throat.

“I'm surprised you're awake so early. You seemed to have a lot last night.” Sizhui glanced him over.

“I didn't really sleep, to be honest.”

“Oh? Did you and Zizhen-”

Sizhui stepped on Jingyi's foot hard.

“Ow!”

Mo Jun stared. “Um?”

“Don't mind him. Let's get back inside, the others should be waking up soon.”

Breakfast was a relatively quiet affair as they all sat with their respective clans, nursing hangovers. Clan Leader Mo particularly had drunk more than he had anticipated, wanting to be merry and joyous with the other leaders. The strategy had worked and he had become quite popular, but at the expense of his own health.

“I think you might be too old to drink so much these days.” Mo Jun refilled his father's tea.

“When did I become an old man?” His father lamented.

“When you stopped hunting and became a leader who sits at a table all day.”

His father laughed, dry and wheezy. “Not the life I expected when we took over.”

“At least you can be old and comfortable now.”

The old man reached out and set his hand on his sons head, smiling fondly. “Won't you be comfortable too?”

Mo Jun laughed. “Not yet. I have more I want to do before I come home with you.”

“It would be a fool's attempt to tame you. Your mother was the same.” He patted Mo Jun's cheek. “I'm very proud of you. We all are.”

He felt his face warm. “Dad...”

“Ah, what am I saying?” He laughed. “Just make sure you come home in one piece, my son.”

“Of course.”

Breakfast finished and the clans got themselves together to prepare to leave. Mo Jun's father embraced him a last time, tight and paternal, before separating and insisting he behave. He waved his clan off, glad to be independent once more. Around him other clans were saying their own goodbyes to each other and making their way off.

Mo Jun was soon joined by his friends. Zizhen and Jin Ling looked more like they had experienced an intense night than the Pearls did, but were recovering.

“You were gone this morning,” Zizhen said.

Jingyi gave Sizhui a look, earning him a light slap.

“I was getting air.”

“Making friends with brother Ning.” Sizhui beamed.

“Oh... Only for a minute.” Mo Jun brushed some loose hair from his face. “Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were here.”

“What!?”

He flinched at their loud voices. “Only for a minute.”

“Senior Wei is as fleeting as red leaves in autumn.” Zizhen sighed.

Jin Ling rolled his eyes.

“That was very poetic,” Sizhui said supportively.

Zizhen grinned, infectious enough to spread to Mo Jun.

“So... He and Hanguag-Jun. Are they...?”

None of the others said anything, but their faces went pink. It only confirmed his suspicions.

“Well... I guess that part of Xuanyu survived.”

Jin Ling met no ones eyes, keeping them cast upwards as he spoke. “Could it be because he is in Xuanyu's body that they...”

“Don't be stupid,” Jingyi tutted, “Hanguan-Jun is still in the same body.”

“Oh. Right.”

“These are private matters,” Sizhui reminded them all.

“Right.”

“Of course.”

“Yeah.”

An awkward silence hung for a moment.

“So, what can we expect from the great Mo Jun now?” Jin Ling asked loudly, giving his friend a big smile that begged for the subject change.

“Hey, you said yourself you're waiting on the next great achievement, right? So I'm going to do that.” He grinned. “I just have to find it first.”

The clan leader laughed and crossed his arms. “Of course. How could it be anything less?” His grin faded and he huffed. “I, however, have to stay here and do my duties. Being a clan leader gets more boring with every day.” He fixed Mo Jun with a look. “If you come across any great evil that needs defeating you must contact me immediately, okay?”

“Why, do you think you'll be more help?”

“Of course! And it'll be something to do that isn't meetings over and over again!” He snorted out through his nose.

“Of all of us to have such responsibilities, you're the least suitable for it.” Jingyi tutted.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“We all have our challenges.” Sizhui cut them off gently.

“Are you guys ready for the challenge we have ahead?” Mo Jun asked with a grin.

The Twin Pearls looked at each other.

“Actually, we have to return to Cloud Recess,” Sizhui told him apologetically.

“We took a break from our duties to help you out.” Jingyi sighed and shrugged.

“What? But you were with me the longest...”

“Sorry, maybe another time.” Sizhui smiled gently.

“With your permission, I take my clan members back.” Lan Xichen joined them. He looked tired in the way everyone did, but for once not so haggard.

“I won't cause you any more problems.” He bowed to the clan leader.

“I'm sure you will.” Xichen smiled. “Just don't break in next time.”

The small troupe of Lan cultivators left, Sizhui and Jingyi giving last smiles and waves before they all left the grounds. The other clans similarly made their way out, bidding last goodbyes and congratulations to the young men. Nie Huisang paused and fixed Mo Jun with a look.

“Should our paths cross again, I'd like it to be much more friendly circumstances. I've had enough troubles from the past for one lifetime.”

“I'm not excited to chase after dead men's stories any time soon.”

He smiled faintly and opened his fan across his face, the red calligraphy a striking shock on the white. “I'm glad to hear it.” With that he continued on his way, leading his clan home.

“I should make sure my uncle isn't causing problems. He's suspiciously quiet.” Jin Ling looked back into his home.

“I'm glad we've had this adventure. I have a lot to than you for.” He held a hand out, and Jin Ling gripped it tight.

“Isn't this what brothers do?”

“Oh, are we going to swear by that?”

“We'll see how I feel when you next visit.”

Mo Jun laughed and waved as the Jin Clan Leader hurried back inside. He turned, feeling his smile slipping already, to his last friend. His heart already hurt. “I guess you're going too?”

Zizhen put his hands behind his back and hummed, looking around. “If I return with my clan, it'll mean being at the mercy of my sisters. No doubt my father will demand I find a wife and be married. I don't think I'm cut out for that, do you?” He looked back at him and grinned.

Mo Jun felt a warmth rise in him. “Not the marrying type?”

“We'll see.” Zizhen's grin softened. “Besides, I burned my hand for you. I think I'm pretty much committed to you already.”

He felt something in his throat and swallowed it back, letting out an embarrassing little laugh. “You've got me there.”

“Yes. I think I do.”

His face was warm, but he didn't mind it. “Then we have to set off on our next adventure!”

“Aren't you forgetting something?”

“Hm?”

Zizhen tapped his face.

“Oh!” He reached into his sleeve and produced the rouge, opening it. “I need a mirror.”

“Let me.” Zizhen stepped close and put one hand on Mo Jun's cheek.

“A-Zhen,” he mumbled, embarrassed.

“No one's looking.” Zizhen dragged his finger through the red so it was thickly pigmented on his fingertip, then with artistic care traced the line of the other's cheekbones to create a smooth, red line

Mo Jun opened his eyes, not realising he'd shut them.

“Perfect.” Zizhen smiled.

“Good.” He smiled back. “Let's go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so its done! thank you everyone who read my silly little indulgent story about my nasty boy. you came here for your fav ships and i delivered you droplets of them so i hope you had a good time.


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